Israel became a local Amnesty International on a facade of its foreign policy
carlosagaton.blogspot.com
See originates l
The Israeli government financed the foundation and activities in Israel of the local branch of Amnesty International in the sixties and seventies of last century.
Official documents reveal that the director of the organization was in constant contact with the Foreign Ministry, which received instructions.
In early April 1970, Police Minister Shlomo Hillel took the podium of the Knesset. He was updated lawmakers on contacts between the government and Amnesty International regarding concern for detained and tortured in Israel. He concluded:
"We can not rely on the goodwill and impartiality of Amnesty International."
Reported by the Minister to the Knesset was that for several years, Israel tried to influence from within Amnesty activity.
Documents collected by the Akevot Research Institute of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which were revealed here show that some of the people who headed Amnesty Israel since the late sixties to mid-seventies reported their activity directly and on time Real to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulted with his officials and asked for instructions on how to proceed.
Moreover, at that time constantly it transferred Amnesty received financial support through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: million Israeli pounds then to finance international flights, payments to staff, registration fees and rental of premises.
The documents show that the most important connection was between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Professor Yoram Dinstein, who led the delegation between 1974 and 1976. Dinstein, an internationally recognized expert in the laws of war who later became rector of the University of Tel Aviv, had been an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Israeli consul in New York.
While he was at the head of Amnesty Israel, years after he left the ministry regularly he informed his former colleagues on their activities and contacts with the international organization.
Amnesty International was founded in London in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson who, outraged by the arrest of some Portuguese students began recruiting people to ask their respective governments the freedom of those who, from that moment, were defined as "prisoners of awareness".
Three years later the Israeli branch of Amnesty began operating there. They were volunteers working in defense of detainees around the world.
However, this activity, which from the beginning was quite limited results, was injured as a result of the publication in 1969 of a report by Amnesty International (AI) on the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
This conflict is the antecedent of the report of the Minister Hillel the Knesset. "The Israeli branch of Amnesty consists of a person (more precisely, a woman), Mrs. Bella Ravdin, a resident of Haifa.
We are in contact with the lady but it is impossible to rely on it in all matters , "he wrote in December 1971 Nathan Bar-Yaakov, director of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that dealt with international organizations and United Nations, the head of office of director general of the ministry, Hannan Bar-On.
A 1975 article in Haaretz Ravdin described her as a relentless writer of letters to the editors of various newspapers and various activist causes, from the legalization of prostitution to benefit students.
According to the article, She invested the money he received from Germany for the death of his mother in a concentration camp in promoting Amnesty Israel.
The report says that finally his criticism of the attitude of AI in relation to Israel had taken to stop acting for the organization.
According to some documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the activity of Ravdin was subsidized by the state, which paid its membership in AI and financed his trip to the congress of the international organization in 1969.
At that time, Ravdin was instructed to raised in the congress the problem of Jews in Arab countries and outlined the issue was related to the attitude to be taken into the theme of "Arab detainees in the territories [occupied]".
Bar-Yacoob wrote: "From our perspective, it is desirable to make it possible for her to pay the membership fee. Last year, also we approved this amount for the same purpose. "
He signed his letter with a recommendation:
"At this juncture, it may be desirable to establish a subsidiary in Israel Amnesty composed of people who somehow are of higher status and have executive capacity".
Bar-Yaakov was not alone in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thought this way.
In a letter of 1971, Mordecai Kidron, adviser to the minister at the United Nations, wrote to his colleague Shmuel Dibon, advisor to the minister in charge of public diplomacy:
"As you know, So far we have not found the right to build a positive image abroad in relation to human rights in Israel and the occupied territories instruments; particularly on this issue, it is impossible to do without the instruments of the state.
The establishment of a non - governmental organization ... that would actively connected with organizations and foreign characters would be very useful. "
In 1971 and 1972, Dinstein tried to found a human rights institute at the University of Tel Aviv, which would be funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He discussed the idea with officials from the ministry but was rejected, partly because the amount of the budget allocation requested Dinstein -some 100,000 Israeli pounds (about 23. then 000 dollars, adjusted for inflation, today would be about $ 120,000).
In July 1972, the Israel branch of Amnesty was reorganized and in front of her four lawyers were put to work in coordination with the headquarters of the organization. Documents Ministry of Foreign Affairs barely mention this period; in the various files it is rare to find any reports about what happened in the organization in the year and a half later.
Things changed in the beginning of 1974, when the Dinstein himself was chosen to head the local branch of Amnesty.
A document notes that the meeting in which he was selected was also an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dinstein who would be in contact during his time in office: the deputy director of international organizations, Sinai Rome.
Immediately afterwards, Dinstein printed a more dynamic pace the organization. For the first time, Amnesty was officially registered as an association and adopted the relevant articles as stipulated by the law.
In May 1974, Dinstein made aware of their activities-mostly, techniques- since he had agreed to charge.
He asked 2,500 Israeli pounds (just under $ 600 in 1974, some 3,135 at present) for current expenses) and attached to an internal document Amnesty detailing their income from foreign subsidiaries.
Less than a month later, Rome wrote to "Dear Yoram" that his request had been granted and that he be transferred 2. 000 Israeli pounds (about $ 476 in 1974, or 2,490 today).
At least exposing the correspondence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dinstein Amnesty saw his work from the perspective of the defense of the Israeli position.
Thus, for example, announced, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a note he had written in response to an article critical of Israel Felicia Langer, human rights lawyer, published in June 1974. It
began by noting that was writing in his capacity as "president of the Israeli national section of Amnesty" and did not mention its link with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shortly after, Dirstein informed Rome that he had received a letter from an organization of Arab women in the United States in which he had asked for any information about detained and imprisoned Palestinians.
In this letter, he also requested information on the Israeli branch of Amnesty. Dinstein wrote to Rome that was inclined not answer but wanted to consult about it .
Rome replied: "We think that this letter can be answered in different ways; for example, writing that 'no prisoners of conscience in prisons [Israel] but terrorists and people who have been tried for attacks on security' ".
He asked that all correspondence was directed at Israeli consulates in New York and Los Angeles.
In February 1975, Dinstein Rome informed about a letter he had received from the French branch of Amnesty referred to comments by the Minister of Police Hillel on the controversy with Amnesty. Dinstein advised the foreign minister that "the public to send him material French diplomat who questioned".
Rome replied: "As you suggested, I hereby am sending the letter of Mr. Sinai [sic] Mr. Shlomo Dron, our embassy in France to their attention [of Dron], together with the summary of our relations with Amnesty International.
In May of that year, he asked Rome Dinstein money to travel to a congress of Amnesty in Switzerland.
Rome was glad to say that Israelis would receive 6,000 pounds (1,000 dollars of the time; 4. 650 today) for a plane ticket and four-day stay. "Please tell me what travel we will send the money," he said.
After the congress, which was held that September, Dinstein sent a report with a detailed account of the activities of the organization and noted that Dr. Nitza Shapiro-Libay had also attended the congress as an observer on behalf of the Israeli subsidiary.
Dinstein said Amnesty political trend was generally left; however, it could not be said to be a left - wing organization.
He told that there had been a debate on the transfer to Geneva headquarters of the organization, but had not yet reached a decision. "In my opinion, the prevailing atmosphere among all organizations have their headquarters in Geneva is an obstacle to the objectives of Israel, "he wrote.
In another letter to Rome accompanying the above, Dinstein wrote: "I'm sending this report to anyone other than the minister; therefore, it is in your hands send it to whoever for consideration (eg the embassy in London) ".
Rome thanked him for sending the report and did know they were accepting their recommendations on the "distribution of our responses to Amnesty concerning the report on prisoners of war in Syria and in Israel to our diplomatic missions abroad"
In a conversation last week, Dinstein made it clear he did not have a good opinion of Amnesty. "I quit after a few years, when I noticed how much of it was a populist and far from everything I thought was the research and knowledge organization," he said.
According to him, "Right now, Amnesty International is dedicated to something you know nothing, international humanitarian law".
Throughout the conversation, Dinstein denied that it was been in regular contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor receiving any funding for the organization in the years he ran the subsidiary.
When asked about the origin of money in those years, he said he had used resources from their own money.
"There was no need for a big budget.
In those days we used to some people who were part - time. " What was the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
"No participation; That was not interested in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "
Who is Sinai Rome?
"He was the head of a department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I knew him, but had no contact with him on these issues. "
" I know nothing about that , "said Dinstein when he was told that there was evidence that showed something different. He added " I do not remember," and ended the conversation.
During those years, Avi Primor was a diplomat of the Foreign Ministry.
Since 1977, he is also mentioned in some pieces of mail that were addressed as division chief international organizations.
He personally knew Dinstein since they were 17 and were college students before being called to compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces.
"He is a patriot in the sense that 'everything what my country is well'; an absolute patriot "Primor of Dinstein said. "I got rid of that when I reached a certain age. He ... not so much. "
Primor said that Dinstein joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the same time he had done so, but had not stayed long because he preferred academia
Regarding the conduct of the Ministry of Affairs Foreign respect of international organizations during those years, Primor said:
"Our goal was to influence them. No combat, nor denigrating them or prohibit them from entering as they do today.
The purpose was to discuss, persuade. I did not get involved in that but I guess persuade and influence the way possible also includes giving money. "
At present it is difficult to imagine a situation in which an important member of a human rights organization maintains a relationship with the establishment and funding it receives.
"You can not compare. There 's a different climate and there are different concepts. Organizations such as Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem ... there was nothing like back then , "Primor said. "There were few people, some people loose, and were taken by ingenuous ... In the early years of the occupation, this was seen as temporary. No one thought it would last 50 years. That was something unimaginable. "
During this period, Dr. Edward Kaufman, who later became director of B'Tselem, the Israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories, working with Amnesty Dinstein.
" It was a club of lawyers, lawyers", Haaretz said this week. Kaufman noted that disagreed with Dinstein on its activities for the benefit of Israel. "He saw himself as the keeper of the Israeli government , " he recalls.
However, Kaufman is also mentioned in documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as someone who was in touch with the ministry team, although it is perceived as less 'fervent' that Dinstein.
For example, a Kaufman Rome thanks sent by a report on a conference of Amnesty on the question of torture practiced by the end of 1973, after the Yom Kippur War.
"The main purpose for working the delegation was the release of prisoners held in Syria that Israel" Kaufman wrote.
He added that cooperation with officials of the Israeli embassy in that country was productive and included a letter he had sent to the secretary of Amnesty International after the congress.
Kaufman confirmed the latter and gave a context described a completely different climate among human rights groups and the Israeli left to operate under a different government that prevails today and -notablemente- a different personal feeling about Israel.
"There is a feeling that there are serious problems with human rights in Israel and the territories [occupied]." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, wanted him to explain what was going on Amnesty.
"I do not remember getting any to or fight something instruction , " he said.
Dinstein resigned Amnesty against the backdrop of the conflict with Kaufman. Shapiro-Libai, who replaced Dinstein and served there until the mid-eighties, said that in the days when she worked, the branch did not receive any money from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; operating expenses were paid by Amnesty International.
"I think there was an interest in Israel was part of Amnesty because it is an important organization for human rights , " she said.
"I do not know Dinstein inform in writing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. . I do not think anyone knew it , but I guess he saw a conflict of interest in that , "
CEO Akevot, Lior Yvne, who found the documents, told Haaretz: "Manipulation of civil society conducted between 1969 and 1976 to promote Israeli public diplomacy and refute the findings and complaints concerning the violation of human rights in the territories [occupied] recalls the activities of organizations and groups in the past years that supposedly emerged in civil society, although the source of funding was murky and functioned to damage the legitimacy of human rights organizations critical of Israeli government policies.
Today, as then, these attacks undermine the very existence of a free civil society. "
The Israeli branch of Amnesty works now in Tel Aviv was registered in 1988 as a nonprofit organization and is a later incarnation of the association founded three decades ago.
In recent years, virtually all of its budget comes from Amnesty International.
The organization receives no money from the government of Israel; Last year, there was even an attempt by the Knesset to deny tax benefits to donors.
The Secretariat of Amnesty International said in a statement that the documents "presented serious allegations suggesting that the leadership of our former section in Israel acted in a manner openly at odds with the principles of Amnesty International."
Touting "impartiality and independence" as the basic principles of the organization, the statement indicates a policy of not accepting state funds to cover their research and campaigns.
"Our records show that in 1975 this principle was formally agreed by the movement. No government should be free from our scrutiny , "the statement said.
The Declaration states that "at that time Amnesty International held the rule prohibiting sections will deal with cases concerning the violation of human rights in its own territory.
Therefore, our work in Israel was decided by the International Secretariat, not the former Israeli section.
During this time, Amnesty International highlighted human rights abuses that were committed by the Israeli authorities even demanded the cessation of the use of administrative detention by Israel.
"During the period in question, our movement was still in its infancy.
As we grew up and became a truly global movement that we are now,
We have continued to develop strong policies and working procedures to ensure rigorous impartiality and accountability. " Amnesty Israel said the documents received show that the government of Israel never refrained from resorting to any means to evade its responsibility for the violation of human rights both in the seventies of the last century as today.
The subsidiary said the documents also show that the previous section of Amnesty, registered in 1974 as an Ottoman association is not the branch that works right now, which was registered in 1988 as an Israeli society without profit purposes, adding that the current Israeli subsidiary active and integral part of the worldwide movement Amnesty.
Uri Blau is an Israeli journalist specializing in issues related to the military, politics, corruption and transparency.
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=225451
carlosagaton.blogspot.com
See originates l
The Israeli government financed the foundation and activities in Israel of the local branch of Amnesty International in the sixties and seventies of last century.
Official documents reveal that the director of the organization was in constant contact with the Foreign Ministry, which received instructions.
In early April 1970, Police Minister Shlomo Hillel took the podium of the Knesset. He was updated lawmakers on contacts between the government and Amnesty International regarding concern for detained and tortured in Israel. He concluded:
"We can not rely on the goodwill and impartiality of Amnesty International."
Reported by the Minister to the Knesset was that for several years, Israel tried to influence from within Amnesty activity.
Documents collected by the Akevot Research Institute of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which were revealed here show that some of the people who headed Amnesty Israel since the late sixties to mid-seventies reported their activity directly and on time Real to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consulted with his officials and asked for instructions on how to proceed.
Moreover, at that time constantly it transferred Amnesty received financial support through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: million Israeli pounds then to finance international flights, payments to staff, registration fees and rental of premises.
The documents show that the most important connection was between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Professor Yoram Dinstein, who led the delegation between 1974 and 1976. Dinstein, an internationally recognized expert in the laws of war who later became rector of the University of Tel Aviv, had been an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was Israeli consul in New York.
While he was at the head of Amnesty Israel, years after he left the ministry regularly he informed his former colleagues on their activities and contacts with the international organization.
Amnesty International was founded in London in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson who, outraged by the arrest of some Portuguese students began recruiting people to ask their respective governments the freedom of those who, from that moment, were defined as "prisoners of awareness".
Three years later the Israeli branch of Amnesty began operating there. They were volunteers working in defense of detainees around the world.
However, this activity, which from the beginning was quite limited results, was injured as a result of the publication in 1969 of a report by Amnesty International (AI) on the situation of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.
This conflict is the antecedent of the report of the Minister Hillel the Knesset. "The Israeli branch of Amnesty consists of a person (more precisely, a woman), Mrs. Bella Ravdin, a resident of Haifa.
We are in contact with the lady but it is impossible to rely on it in all matters , "he wrote in December 1971 Nathan Bar-Yaakov, director of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that dealt with international organizations and United Nations, the head of office of director general of the ministry, Hannan Bar-On.
A 1975 article in Haaretz Ravdin described her as a relentless writer of letters to the editors of various newspapers and various activist causes, from the legalization of prostitution to benefit students.
According to the article, She invested the money he received from Germany for the death of his mother in a concentration camp in promoting Amnesty Israel.
The report says that finally his criticism of the attitude of AI in relation to Israel had taken to stop acting for the organization.
According to some documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the activity of Ravdin was subsidized by the state, which paid its membership in AI and financed his trip to the congress of the international organization in 1969.
At that time, Ravdin was instructed to raised in the congress the problem of Jews in Arab countries and outlined the issue was related to the attitude to be taken into the theme of "Arab detainees in the territories [occupied]".
Bar-Yacoob wrote: "From our perspective, it is desirable to make it possible for her to pay the membership fee. Last year, also we approved this amount for the same purpose. "
He signed his letter with a recommendation:
"At this juncture, it may be desirable to establish a subsidiary in Israel Amnesty composed of people who somehow are of higher status and have executive capacity".
Bar-Yaakov was not alone in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thought this way.
In a letter of 1971, Mordecai Kidron, adviser to the minister at the United Nations, wrote to his colleague Shmuel Dibon, advisor to the minister in charge of public diplomacy:
"As you know, So far we have not found the right to build a positive image abroad in relation to human rights in Israel and the occupied territories instruments; particularly on this issue, it is impossible to do without the instruments of the state.
The establishment of a non - governmental organization ... that would actively connected with organizations and foreign characters would be very useful. "
In 1971 and 1972, Dinstein tried to found a human rights institute at the University of Tel Aviv, which would be funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He discussed the idea with officials from the ministry but was rejected, partly because the amount of the budget allocation requested Dinstein -some 100,000 Israeli pounds (about 23. then 000 dollars, adjusted for inflation, today would be about $ 120,000).
In July 1972, the Israel branch of Amnesty was reorganized and in front of her four lawyers were put to work in coordination with the headquarters of the organization. Documents Ministry of Foreign Affairs barely mention this period; in the various files it is rare to find any reports about what happened in the organization in the year and a half later.
Things changed in the beginning of 1974, when the Dinstein himself was chosen to head the local branch of Amnesty.
A document notes that the meeting in which he was selected was also an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dinstein who would be in contact during his time in office: the deputy director of international organizations, Sinai Rome.
Immediately afterwards, Dinstein printed a more dynamic pace the organization. For the first time, Amnesty was officially registered as an association and adopted the relevant articles as stipulated by the law.
In May 1974, Dinstein made aware of their activities-mostly, techniques- since he had agreed to charge.
He asked 2,500 Israeli pounds (just under $ 600 in 1974, some 3,135 at present) for current expenses) and attached to an internal document Amnesty detailing their income from foreign subsidiaries.
Less than a month later, Rome wrote to "Dear Yoram" that his request had been granted and that he be transferred 2. 000 Israeli pounds (about $ 476 in 1974, or 2,490 today).
At least exposing the correspondence of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dinstein Amnesty saw his work from the perspective of the defense of the Israeli position.
Thus, for example, announced, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a note he had written in response to an article critical of Israel Felicia Langer, human rights lawyer, published in June 1974. It
began by noting that was writing in his capacity as "president of the Israeli national section of Amnesty" and did not mention its link with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Shortly after, Dirstein informed Rome that he had received a letter from an organization of Arab women in the United States in which he had asked for any information about detained and imprisoned Palestinians.
In this letter, he also requested information on the Israeli branch of Amnesty. Dinstein wrote to Rome that was inclined not answer but wanted to consult about it .
Rome replied: "We think that this letter can be answered in different ways; for example, writing that 'no prisoners of conscience in prisons [Israel] but terrorists and people who have been tried for attacks on security' ".
He asked that all correspondence was directed at Israeli consulates in New York and Los Angeles.
In February 1975, Dinstein Rome informed about a letter he had received from the French branch of Amnesty referred to comments by the Minister of Police Hillel on the controversy with Amnesty. Dinstein advised the foreign minister that "the public to send him material French diplomat who questioned".
Rome replied: "As you suggested, I hereby am sending the letter of Mr. Sinai [sic] Mr. Shlomo Dron, our embassy in France to their attention [of Dron], together with the summary of our relations with Amnesty International.
In May of that year, he asked Rome Dinstein money to travel to a congress of Amnesty in Switzerland.
Rome was glad to say that Israelis would receive 6,000 pounds (1,000 dollars of the time; 4. 650 today) for a plane ticket and four-day stay. "Please tell me what travel we will send the money," he said.
After the congress, which was held that September, Dinstein sent a report with a detailed account of the activities of the organization and noted that Dr. Nitza Shapiro-Libay had also attended the congress as an observer on behalf of the Israeli subsidiary.
Dinstein said Amnesty political trend was generally left; however, it could not be said to be a left - wing organization.
He told that there had been a debate on the transfer to Geneva headquarters of the organization, but had not yet reached a decision. "In my opinion, the prevailing atmosphere among all organizations have their headquarters in Geneva is an obstacle to the objectives of Israel, "he wrote.
In another letter to Rome accompanying the above, Dinstein wrote: "I'm sending this report to anyone other than the minister; therefore, it is in your hands send it to whoever for consideration (eg the embassy in London) ".
Rome thanked him for sending the report and did know they were accepting their recommendations on the "distribution of our responses to Amnesty concerning the report on prisoners of war in Syria and in Israel to our diplomatic missions abroad"
In a conversation last week, Dinstein made it clear he did not have a good opinion of Amnesty. "I quit after a few years, when I noticed how much of it was a populist and far from everything I thought was the research and knowledge organization," he said.
According to him, "Right now, Amnesty International is dedicated to something you know nothing, international humanitarian law".
Throughout the conversation, Dinstein denied that it was been in regular contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor receiving any funding for the organization in the years he ran the subsidiary.
When asked about the origin of money in those years, he said he had used resources from their own money.
"There was no need for a big budget.
In those days we used to some people who were part - time. " What was the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
"No participation; That was not interested in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "
Who is Sinai Rome?
"He was the head of a department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I knew him, but had no contact with him on these issues. "
" I know nothing about that , "said Dinstein when he was told that there was evidence that showed something different. He added " I do not remember," and ended the conversation.
During those years, Avi Primor was a diplomat of the Foreign Ministry.
Since 1977, he is also mentioned in some pieces of mail that were addressed as division chief international organizations.
He personally knew Dinstein since they were 17 and were college students before being called to compulsory military service in the Israel Defense Forces.
"He is a patriot in the sense that 'everything what my country is well'; an absolute patriot "Primor of Dinstein said. "I got rid of that when I reached a certain age. He ... not so much. "
Primor said that Dinstein joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the same time he had done so, but had not stayed long because he preferred academia
Regarding the conduct of the Ministry of Affairs Foreign respect of international organizations during those years, Primor said:
"Our goal was to influence them. No combat, nor denigrating them or prohibit them from entering as they do today.
The purpose was to discuss, persuade. I did not get involved in that but I guess persuade and influence the way possible also includes giving money. "
At present it is difficult to imagine a situation in which an important member of a human rights organization maintains a relationship with the establishment and funding it receives.
"You can not compare. There 's a different climate and there are different concepts. Organizations such as Breaking the Silence and B'Tselem ... there was nothing like back then , "Primor said. "There were few people, some people loose, and were taken by ingenuous ... In the early years of the occupation, this was seen as temporary. No one thought it would last 50 years. That was something unimaginable. "
During this period, Dr. Edward Kaufman, who later became director of B'Tselem, the Israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories, working with Amnesty Dinstein.
" It was a club of lawyers, lawyers", Haaretz said this week. Kaufman noted that disagreed with Dinstein on its activities for the benefit of Israel. "He saw himself as the keeper of the Israeli government , " he recalls.
However, Kaufman is also mentioned in documents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as someone who was in touch with the ministry team, although it is perceived as less 'fervent' that Dinstein.
For example, a Kaufman Rome thanks sent by a report on a conference of Amnesty on the question of torture practiced by the end of 1973, after the Yom Kippur War.
"The main purpose for working the delegation was the release of prisoners held in Syria that Israel" Kaufman wrote.
He added that cooperation with officials of the Israeli embassy in that country was productive and included a letter he had sent to the secretary of Amnesty International after the congress.
Kaufman confirmed the latter and gave a context described a completely different climate among human rights groups and the Israeli left to operate under a different government that prevails today and -notablemente- a different personal feeling about Israel.
"There is a feeling that there are serious problems with human rights in Israel and the territories [occupied]." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, wanted him to explain what was going on Amnesty.
"I do not remember getting any to or fight something instruction , " he said.
Dinstein resigned Amnesty against the backdrop of the conflict with Kaufman. Shapiro-Libai, who replaced Dinstein and served there until the mid-eighties, said that in the days when she worked, the branch did not receive any money from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; operating expenses were paid by Amnesty International.
"I think there was an interest in Israel was part of Amnesty because it is an important organization for human rights , " she said.
"I do not know Dinstein inform in writing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. . I do not think anyone knew it , but I guess he saw a conflict of interest in that , "
CEO Akevot, Lior Yvne, who found the documents, told Haaretz: "Manipulation of civil society conducted between 1969 and 1976 to promote Israeli public diplomacy and refute the findings and complaints concerning the violation of human rights in the territories [occupied] recalls the activities of organizations and groups in the past years that supposedly emerged in civil society, although the source of funding was murky and functioned to damage the legitimacy of human rights organizations critical of Israeli government policies.
Today, as then, these attacks undermine the very existence of a free civil society. "
The Israeli branch of Amnesty works now in Tel Aviv was registered in 1988 as a nonprofit organization and is a later incarnation of the association founded three decades ago.
In recent years, virtually all of its budget comes from Amnesty International.
The organization receives no money from the government of Israel; Last year, there was even an attempt by the Knesset to deny tax benefits to donors.
The Secretariat of Amnesty International said in a statement that the documents "presented serious allegations suggesting that the leadership of our former section in Israel acted in a manner openly at odds with the principles of Amnesty International."
Touting "impartiality and independence" as the basic principles of the organization, the statement indicates a policy of not accepting state funds to cover their research and campaigns.
"Our records show that in 1975 this principle was formally agreed by the movement. No government should be free from our scrutiny , "the statement said.
The Declaration states that "at that time Amnesty International held the rule prohibiting sections will deal with cases concerning the violation of human rights in its own territory.
Therefore, our work in Israel was decided by the International Secretariat, not the former Israeli section.
During this time, Amnesty International highlighted human rights abuses that were committed by the Israeli authorities even demanded the cessation of the use of administrative detention by Israel.
"During the period in question, our movement was still in its infancy.
As we grew up and became a truly global movement that we are now,
We have continued to develop strong policies and working procedures to ensure rigorous impartiality and accountability. " Amnesty Israel said the documents received show that the government of Israel never refrained from resorting to any means to evade its responsibility for the violation of human rights both in the seventies of the last century as today.
The subsidiary said the documents also show that the previous section of Amnesty, registered in 1974 as an Ottoman association is not the branch that works right now, which was registered in 1988 as an Israeli society without profit purposes, adding that the current Israeli subsidiary active and integral part of the worldwide movement Amnesty.
Uri Blau is an Israeli journalist specializing in issues related to the military, politics, corruption and transparency.
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=225451
