‘I see our soldiers doing what the South African army used to do’

Former foreign ministry chief ALON LIEL tells BEN LYNFIELD the Palestinian NGO raids reflect the government’s desire for right-wing votes and disregard for how the EU responds.

For one former senior Israeli foreign ministry official, the army's raids and closures last week of six Palestinian civil society organisations alleged to be terrorist fronts was ugly and disturbing.

Alon Liel, former director-general of the foreign ministry, said it reminded him of the way South Africa used to handle groups struggling against the apartheid regime.

Because he served in South Africa during the 1980s on behalf of the foreign ministry, forging Israel's first links with anti-apartheid organisations and eventually becoming ambassador, his views are not theoretical.  

"It brings me back to apartheid South Africa and I am ashamed. These are my memories of South Africa, the chasing of the people of the struggle, "Liel, who served in the foreign ministry for more than 30 years, told The Jewish Independent during an interview.

"I was among those people who thought our alliance with apartheid is wrong morally, though beneficial financially, and I was among those diplomats fighting against it. Now I see our soldiers doing what the South African police and army used to do during the 1970s and 1980s."

The Palestinian groups, ranging from the veteran human rights monitor, al-Haq, to Defence of Children International-Palestine, deny any affiliation with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. European Union countries say Israel has failed to prove any of them are linked to terrorist activities. But defying the criticism, the army last week smashed its way into their offices and hung notices declaring them shut.

Under the slogan "human rights is not terrorism", 45 left-wing Israeli civil society organizations responded by declaring solidarity with the Palestinian groups and urging international intervention to stop the government's campaign against them.