MK Nava Boker (Likud) on Thursday sent a letter to Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu), asking him to cancel the economic benefits given by the State of Israel to Amnesty International.
"The organization is conducting an international campaign to place IDF soldiers on trial in the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The organization also calls for an international arms embargo on the State of Israel,” wrote Boker.
"In addition,” she continued, “the organization publicly supports those who refuse to serve in the IDF, and recently launched an international campaign calling for the release of the detained terrorist, Ahed Tamimi, who was documented hitting an IDF officer in the village of Nabi Salih.”
Amnesty acts “against the IDF, against IDF soldiers and against the State of Israel. Absurdly, it seems that Amnesty's improper activity is not enough to deprive it of the benefits it receives from the Ministry of Finance, since it enjoys tax benefits under section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance,” added Boker.
"Under the Boycott Law, you have the authority as Finance Minister to cancel the benefits given to organizations and bodies that call for a boycott against the State of Israel,” she pointed out.
Boker further noted, in her letter to Kahlon, that "the tax benefits that come out under your watch as finance minister constitute no less than a severe blow to the State of Israel. It is inconceivable that alongside calls for a boycott against Israel, the organization will enjoy economic benefits from the state. It is inconceivable that, at a time when the Ministry for Strategic Affairs is conducting an international campaign calling for opposition to boycotts, the Ministry of Finance will, in one way or another, finance the boycott against the State of Israel.”
"I call on you to immediately revoke the tax benefit given to Amnesty and to cancel any other economic benefit given to the organization by your office," concluded Boker.
Amnesty International several months ago launched a campaign calling on world countries to ban the import of all goods produced in Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
The campaign marked the 50th anniversary of what Amnesty calls “Israel's occupation of the West Bank”.
Reports in September said the Finance Ministry would impose sanctions on Amnesty International’s Israel branch, formally declaring it in violation of the anti-BDS law, ending the tax exemption on donations to the group, and leaving it vulnerable to lawsuits by companies that have been impacted by boycotts or bans abroad.
