Difference between revisions of "European Forum of the Knesset"
m (→Funding) |
|||
| (4 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | The '''European Forum of the Knesset''' (EFK) is an astroturf lobbying coalition launched by the [[European Friends of Israel]] in 2009<ref name=carrie>Carrie Sheffield, [http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=150708 "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments"], Jerusalem Post, 4 August 2009, accessed on 17 October 2010</ref> with Israel lobbyist and Italian legislator [[Fiamma Nirenstein]] playing a central role.<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], Haaretz, 8 August 2009</ref> | + | The '''European Forum of the Knesset''' (EFK) is an astroturf lobbying coalition launched by the [[European Friends of Israel]] in 2009<ref name=carrie>Carrie Sheffield, [http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=150708 "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments"], ''Jerusalem Post'', 4 August 2009, accessed on 17 October 2010</ref> with Israel lobbyist and Italian legislator [[Fiamma Nirenstein]] playing a central role.<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], ''Haaretz'', 8 August 2009</ref> |
==History== | ==History== | ||
| − | The EFK was reportedly created by [[Fiamma Nirenstein]] to "strengthen ties between Israel and European parliaments."<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], Haaretz, 8 August 2009</ref> Other members include [[Tzipi Livni]], [[Shaul Mofaz]] and [[Daniel Ben-Simon]].<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], Haaretz, 8 August 2009</ref> | + | The EFK was reportedly created by [[Fiamma Nirenstein]] to "strengthen ties between Israel and European parliaments."<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], Haaretz, 8 August 2009</ref> The EFK is reportedly "spearheaded" by the Israeli [[Kadima]] MK's [[Yohanan Plesner]] "with the blessing of Knesset Speaker [[Reuven Rivlin]] ([[Likud]])."<ref name=carrie>Carrie Sheffield, [http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=150708 "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments"], Jerusalem Post, 4 August 2009, accessed on 17 October 2010</ref> Other members include [[Tzipi Livni]], [[Shaul Mofaz]] and [[Daniel Ben-Simon]].<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], ''Haaretz'', 8 August 2009</ref> In a 2009 interview with a journalist from ''Haaretz'', Nirenstein explained that the main aims of the EFK include combating what Nirenstein argues as European hostility towards Israel and to "attack ferociously those who call to demonize Israel."<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], Haaretz, 8 August 2009</ref> A reported main focus of this lobby will be to more effectively target Iran: |
| + | |||
| + | :With funding from Pro-Zionist European Jews and non-Jews, the new Israeli forum Nirenstein helped create will seek to shift more attention away from the Palestinian issue to the threat posed by Iran.As deputy chairperson of the Italian parliament's foreign affairs commission, Nirenstein has had limited success in prompting Berlusconi's government to intervene to block involvement of Italian firms in Iranian projects.<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], ''Haaretz'', 8 August 2009</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Funding== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Since the EFK does not have a website and is not an official non-profit or charity organization, little is available about its funding. However the Israel-based [[Jerusalem Post]] reports it is funded by "wealthy patrons within European Jewish circles"<ref name=carrie>Carrie Sheffield, [http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=150708 "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments"], Jerusalem Post, 4 August 2009, accessed on 17 October 2010</ref> and similarly ''Haaretz'' states that it is funded by "Pro-Zionist European Jews and non-Jews."<ref name=apologetic>Cnaan Liphshiz, [http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-should-drop-apologetic-tactics-admit-it-is-at-war-1.281625 "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'"], ''Haaretz'', 8 August 2009</ref> | ||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Israel Lobby]] | ||
Latest revision as of 17:44, 19 October 2010
The European Forum of the Knesset (EFK) is an astroturf lobbying coalition launched by the European Friends of Israel in 2009[1] with Israel lobbyist and Italian legislator Fiamma Nirenstein playing a central role.[2]
History
The EFK was reportedly created by Fiamma Nirenstein to "strengthen ties between Israel and European parliaments."[2] The EFK is reportedly "spearheaded" by the Israeli Kadima MK's Yohanan Plesner "with the blessing of Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud)."[1] Other members include Tzipi Livni, Shaul Mofaz and Daniel Ben-Simon.[2] In a 2009 interview with a journalist from Haaretz, Nirenstein explained that the main aims of the EFK include combating what Nirenstein argues as European hostility towards Israel and to "attack ferociously those who call to demonize Israel."[2] A reported main focus of this lobby will be to more effectively target Iran:
- With funding from Pro-Zionist European Jews and non-Jews, the new Israeli forum Nirenstein helped create will seek to shift more attention away from the Palestinian issue to the threat posed by Iran.As deputy chairperson of the Italian parliament's foreign affairs commission, Nirenstein has had limited success in prompting Berlusconi's government to intervene to block involvement of Italian firms in Iranian projects.[2]
Funding
Since the EFK does not have a website and is not an official non-profit or charity organization, little is available about its funding. However the Israel-based Jerusalem Post reports it is funded by "wealthy patrons within European Jewish circles"[1] and similarly Haaretz states that it is funded by "Pro-Zionist European Jews and non-Jews."[2]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Carrie Sheffield, "MKs launch new alliance with European parliaments", Jerusalem Post, 4 August 2009, accessed on 17 October 2010 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "carrie" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "carrie" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Cnaan Liphshiz, "'Israel should drop apologetic tactics, admit it is at war'", Haaretz, 8 August 2009 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "apologetic" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "apologetic" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "apologetic" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "apologetic" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "apologetic" defined multiple times with different content
