The Netanyahu Government’s True Colors

What do a former Israeli State Prosecutor, a former head of Israel’s Security Services, the publisher of Israel’s most renowned newspaper, and Israel’s ambassador to Switzerland have in common?

Until earlier today, the answer was that they were all appearing together at a conference, entitled “Is Israeli Democracy in Danger?” in Zurich hosted by NIF’s Swiss affiliate. But now, Ambassador Jacob Keidar has announced that, contrary to his previous commitment, he will not participate in the event.

The ambassador cites the title of the event and the fact that it’s being organized by NIF-Switzerland as the reasons for his change of heart. A Foreign Ministry spokesperson also claimed that Keidar’s decision to cancel his participation was not a result of any instructions he received from the ministry in Jerusalem.

These are dubious claims. But regardless of who ordered the Israeli Ambassador to Switzerland to boycott the conference, it is a disturbing precedent.

Unfortunately, it is in line with the modus operandi that Israel’s hardliners have adopted: do everything possible to discredit those who don’t agree with the direction the current government is taking Israel. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about Israeli patriots who have devoted their lives to service of country – like the Ambassador’s former co-speakers NIF president Talia Sasson, former Shin Bet security service head Carmi Gillon, and Haaretz editor-in-chief Amos Schocken. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about Israeli activists who push for human rights, shared society, and social justice. And it doesn’t matter if we’re talking about liberal Jews who love and support Israel but worry about where it is headed.

If you dare to disagree, you are persona non grata in the eyes of too many at the highest levels of Israeli leadership these days.

Unfortunately, this defensive crouch and boycott mentality don’t help Israel at all. Quite the contrary. What we see here is that, instead of shaping public opinion, Israel’s Foreign Ministry is allowing political point scoring to trump good public policy. In doing so, the ministry is damaging Israel’s reputation in the international community as a democratic, tolerant, and pluralistic country.

Healthy democracies invite robust debates on critical issues–they don’t boycott them. The New Israel Fund will continue to create spaces for people who care about Israel to come together and chart our course toward a better future for the country we love. We will work for this future together with those who join us on September 18th in Zurich. We will work for this future with those who took part in our other recent conferences (including no less than US President Barack Obama and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin). And we will work for this future with all of you.

Israel is too important to let the Netanyahu government have the last word.