Israeli lawmakers urge end to Amnesty’s tax exemption status

Two Israeli lawmakers from the coalition government yesterday called for the tax exemption status of Amnesty International to be cancelled.

Writing on his Facebook page, Jewish Home Member of the Knesset Bezalel Smotrich attacked the global human rights group as being “radically against the State of Israel and its leaders”, citing a number of criticisms Amnesty has made of suspected Israeli war crimes and violations of international law.

Likud MK Miki Zohar, meanwhile, accused Amnesty of “working to harm the State of Israel and is taking any opportunity to limit the state’s power to defend itself.”

Both parliamentarians sit on the Knesset Finance Committee, which is responsible for approving a list of organisations whose donors are eligible for a tax exemption.

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