Support NIF’s Crisis Action Plan
As the war in Gaza drags on, wreaking further devastation and immense casualties, the Israeli government is pressing ahead with its outright assault on democratic institutions and norms. It is no exaggeration to say that Israel’s democracy faces its most significant threats since the country’s establishment.
Over the last few months, the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Netanyahu has advanced a flurry of anti-democratic legislation – including bills that would criminalize cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC); that would bar Arab parties from running for Knesset; that would impose an 80% tax on NGOs receiving funding from foreign governmental entities – and recently passed a law that politicizes judicial appointments. Civil liberties such as freedom of speech and freedom of protest, especially among Palestinian citizens and pro-democracy activists, are being quashed by an increasingly unrestrained police force, while human rights in the West Bank are violated daily.
Meanwhile, the government continues attacking the gatekeepers of Israeli democracy and the rule of law: Netanyahu fired the head of the Shin Bet, Israel’s general security service, and is moving to fire the attorney general, drawing the country closer to autocracy and to a constitutional crisis. This alarming state of affairs has been exacerbated by a U.S. administration under President Trump that, unlike the previous administration, is enabling Israel’s more extreme moves in the occupied territories and emboldening the most right-wing elements in the Netanyahu government. The Trump White House is also advancing its own anti-democratic policies that affect the landscape in Israel/Palestine, including eviscerating USAID and the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA) fund; issuing an executive order that imposes sanctions on the ICC; and advancing a bill that could kneecap progressive nonprofits.
These are tremendous challenges, and uncertainty about the future in both countries is
great. We at the New Israel Fund (NIF) are leading a movement comprising our grantees and civil society partners to confront these threats the only way we know how: with a gritty
resolve that is guided by our values and our firm belief that a better future is possible.
Support NIF’s Crisis Action Plan
HOW NIF IS MEETING THIS MOMENT
NIF’s strategic approach to the current challenges relies on a “building and blocking”
framework that employs the following strategies: “building” a movement that 1) Presents a
positive vision for Israel’s future and is grounded in new ideas and policies; 2) Works with
diverse leaders and influencers to bolster the pro-democracy movement; and 3) Mobilizes
the broader public around a commitment to liberal democratic values with the aim of
building political power; and “blocking” measures including 1) Anti-democratic legislation
and initiatives; 2) Efforts to curb civil liberties; and 3) Moves to further entrench the
occupation and settlement enterprise, including soaring settler violence and expulsions of
communities in the West Bank.
BUILDING
Supporting Emerging Leaders and Building Networks
NIF is supporting and coordinating work to cultivate new progressive leaders and create platforms for them to network, as well as initiatives for influencers from different spheres to educate their supporters and peers about democracy. IDEA: The Center for Liberal Democracy is a key partner in this work: It relies on a network of 400 individuals from different sectors (politics, civil society, arts and culture, local government, media) who engage in joint learning and subsequently act as agents of change within their fields. For example, one participant in an IDEA network established a new forum for mayors of liberal cities to join forces in defense of liberal values, strengthening the pro-democracy movement on the local level. Another grantee in this area is Qadaya, which develops leadership with Palestinian society in Israel. It recently launched a new project for young Palestinian-Israeli intellectuals from across the political spectrum to come together and brainstorm ways to confront challenges unique to their community.
Public Mobilization
An especially critical component of NIF's building work is organizing diverse groups within the Israeli public and mobilizing them in support of the pro-democracy movement and its values. NIF grantees including Omdim Beyachad-Naqif Ma'an (Standing Together), Mehazkim, and Zazim - Community Action have been at the forefront of the pro-democracy protests since the current government came to power in 2023. Relying on research conducted by NIF grantee aChord, a social psychology center, these organizations craft effective messaging that spurs the public to action—be it rallying tens of thousands of Israelis to take to the streets in support of democracy and ending the war, organizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel to collect and deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, or inspiring thousands to attend the largest pro-peace event in recent memory last summer and aiming for an even greater turnout at an upcoming peace convention.
BLOCKING
Safeguarding Civil Liberties
Civil liberties, including freedom of speech and freedom of protest, have been severely limited under the current government: Between protests against the judicial overhaul and criticism of the war in Gaza, the government has increased efforts to muzzle dissent through legislation and increasingly excessive police force. NIF created the Civil Society Protection Hub in 2023 for the express purpose of protecting activists and organizations and enabling them to operate safely and effectively in a climate shaped by a far right-wing government. The Hub connects threatened individuals and NGOs with an array of NIF-funded services, and has helped more than 100 individuals and organizations to date - including a 12-yearold girl who was suspended from school for sympathizing with Gazan civilians and the co-directors of the Oscar-winning film "No Other Land," who have faced physical and verbal assaults in recent weeks.
Opposing Settler Violence and Annexation
NIF and grantees are working to thwart negative developments in the Occupied Palestinian
Territories (OPT), such as de facto annexation of parts of the West Bank, expulsions of
Palestinians from West Bank villages, the ethnic cleansing and reoccupation of Gaza, and
settler violence—all of which are part of the government’s radical agenda. NIF grantees such as Breaking the Silence work to raise awareness about the human rights violations occurring in the West Bank, while Haqel: In Defense of Human Rights and Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights provide legal assistance to Palestinians whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by army and settler violence. Shatil launched a forum that coordinates “protective presence” work of anti-occupation organizations and activists who accompany Palestinians as they work their fields or harvest olives, and Shatil’s OPT Activists Support Program provides multifaceted support for frontline activists—including everything from resilience training to body cameras used to document instances of violence.