The Knesset
Jerusalem

6 Tamuz, 5761
27 June, 2001

To: PM Goeran Persson
President of the European Union

It has been made public in Israel that the European Union has been providing financial support to Israeli groups/institutions/organizations that are all partisan and political in nature. This is a blatant attempt at intervening in the internal affairs of the State of Israel. Attached is a list of these organizations, which was made public in Israel.

The European Union represents democratic states. It’s democratic character is an inherent part of it’s nature. As such, it should refrain from any attempt to influence the internal democratic process of another democratic state.

We, the undersigned members of the Israeli Knesset, would like to express our shock and outrage at this attempt at achieving political purposes by extending financial support to Israeli citizens and groups.

As the elected representatives of a democratic, free society, we strongly oppose such attempts at influencing our state’s domestic politics and the policies of our government, by financial means.

In light of the gravity of these activities, we expect that the European Union will take the following measures:

1. Discontinue the financial support to Israeli non-profit organizations that are politically oriented;

2. Publicly disclose the list of Israeli groups/institutions/organizations which receive financial support from the European Union. The citizens of Israel will thus be informed as to those organizations that are influenced by, or are serving foreign interests, and EU member-states will be apprised of the objectives of the of the expenditure of their money.

Considering that the European Union is a democratic institution, that represents free and democratic nations, we are certain that it will act out of similar respect for the sovereignty and freedom of the State of Israel.

Respectfully yours,

Benyamin Elon, Eliezer Cohen, Zevulun Orlev, Ze`ev Boim, Maxim Levy, Ayoob Kara, Mordechai Mishani, Michael Nudelman, Rahamim Melloul, Ofer Hugi, Nissim Zeev, Itzhak Gagula, Avraham Ravitz, Moshe Gafni, Avigdor Liberman, Nissim Dahan, Yitzhak Cohen, Yuri Shtern, David Tal, Shaul Yahalom, Amnon Cohen, Michael Kleiner, Marina Solodkin, David Magen, Yechiel Lasry, Yair Peretz, David Azoulay
[More names to follow]

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