A/HRC/40/43 Israel 29. There were numerous statements by high-ranking officials against civil society organizations and human rights defenders, including verbal attacks that might amount to incitement to violence. 52 Human rights defenders were also subjected to threats, intimidation and attempts to delegitimize them, including with a view to influencing their foreign sources of funding. For example, the organization Breaking the Silence continued to face public condemnation by high-ranking Israeli officials, within the scope of an investigation against Dean Issacharoff, a spokesperson of Breaking the Silence and a former Israeli soldier who had publicly testified on using violence against a Palestinian in Hebron in 2014.53 30. A number of senior Israeli officials also publicly condemned the Executive Director of the Israeli non-governmental organization (NGO) B’Tselem, Hagai El-Ad, following his briefing to the Security Council on 18 October 2018. The Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations accused him of defaming his Government, called him a “lousy collaborator” and said that if he had been Palestinian or Bolivian he would “likely end up dead”.54 The Deputy Foreign Minister stated that action should be taken to end international funding of B’Tselem.55 31. Some organizations have been instrumental in distributing information aimed at discrediting human rights defenders and civil society actors. 56, 57 The Israeli Ministry of Strategic Affairs has accused the European Union of directly or indirectly funding organizations that promoted the delegitimization of and boycotts against Israel and alleged that European taxpayers’ money was being used to support ties with terrorist organizations.58 32. There were increased restrictions on work permits and visas for human rights defenders, including through the enforcement of the amended Entry into Israel Law. The amendment prohibits the granting of a visa to persons who are not citizens or permanent residents of Israel if they or the organization for which they work has knowingly issued a public call to boycott Israel, or has committed to participating in such a boycott. 59 In early January 2018, a “boycott, divestment and sanctions blacklist” of 20 such organizations was published by the Strategic Affairs Ministry. 60 There are serious concerns that the amended 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 10 See also A/HRC/37/41, para. 24, and A/HRC/34/36, para. 50. The investigation has been reopened and is ongoing (www.timesofisrael.com/breaking-the-silencespokesman-cleared-of-beating-palestinian/). See also www.breakingthesilence.org.il/inside/ayeletshakeds-private-prosecutor/, www.haaretz.com/israel-news/palestinian-allegedly-beaten-by-breakingthe-silence-spox-called-to-give-testimony-1.5629686 and Chemi Shalev, “To whitewash occupation, Netanyahu crew casts Breaking the Silence whistle-blower as bogeyman: right-wing sadists harass Israeli Ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff to act against his own son”, Haaretz, 21 November 2017. See http://webtv.un.org/meetings-events/watch/part-1-the-situation-in-the-middle-east-including-thepalestinian-question-security-council-8375th-meeting/5850529585001/?term= (from minute 58:00). See www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-denounces-btselem-chiefs-un-speech-as-full-of-lies/. See also the text of a since-deleted Facebook post about Hagai El-Ad attributed to Knesset Member Oren Hazan, and available at www.nad.ps/en/media-room/israeli-incitement-reports/israeli-officialincitement-october-2018. See http://policyworkinggroup.org.il/report_en.pdf. See https://apnews.com/0601a79f13e041b9b5b312ec73063c98/covertly-israel-prepares-fight-boycottactivists-online. See also www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/political-advocacy-ngo-involvement-in-unhumanitarian-aid-clusters/. Israel, Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy, The Money Report: The Millions Given by EU Institutions to NGOs with Ties to Terror and Boycotts against Israel (May 2018). A/HRC/37/41, para. 32. See also A/72/565, paras. 45–46. The definition of “boycott” is explicitly articulated in the 2011 boycott law and includes boycotts aimed at Israeli settlements located in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Law for the Prevention of Damage to the State of Israel through Boycott (No. 5771-2011) defines boycott as deliberately avoiding all economic, cultural or academic ties with an individual or other body, based solely on affiliation with Israel or any of its institutions or area under its control, in a manner that would cause economic, cultural or academic harm. See www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.833502.