The New Israel Fund cited freedom of speech in pushing back Friday against a congressional investigation alleging that the U.S. nonprofit violated its tax-exempt status by funding political campaign activity in Israel in 2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cNIF will not be deterred in our work to defend democracy, promote equality, and advance peace in Israel,\u201d New Israel Fund CEO Mickey Gitzin said i<\/a>n a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. \u201cAnd we will stand firmly for the right of Jewish Americans to express their views, and their first amendment rights through their philanthropic support of any and all charitable institutions in Israel and the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n In a letter sent to the New Israel Fund Thursday, Reps. Jim Jordan and Jason Smith, Republican chairs of the House Judiciary and Ways and Means Committees, respectively, alleged that the nonprofit had provided \u201cmillions of dollars in funding to groups that engaged in political campaign activities in the 2019 Israeli elections.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReports that the New Israel Fund engaged in prohibited political campaign activity \u2013 while telling the IRS that it did not \u2013 demonstrate the need for stronger enforcement,\u201d Smith wrote in a post on X<\/a>. \u201cThe Ways and Means Committee will continue conducting rigorous oversight to protect American tax dollars and ensure that those who abuse our tax code are held accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n According to a Jerusalem News Syndicate<\/a> story the Judiciary Committee posted on its website<\/a>, one of the alleged offenses includes bussing Bedouin citizens of Israel to the polls on election day. The criticism echoes Republican attacks on groups that assist and encourage Black voters<\/a> to get to the polls in the United States.<\/p>\n The letter also alleged that the New Israel Fund had provided funding to Adalah, a group that provided legal representation to an alliance of Arab parties that \u201ccentered their campaign around ousting Prime Minister Netanyahu in favor of his opponent, Benny Gantz.\u201d<\/p>\n A GOP-led House Judiciary Committee letter to two mainstream Jewish philanthropies, the Jewish Communal Fund and the PEF Israel Endowment Funds, also raised eyebrows in May when it appeared, to accuse the groups of funding protests against the Netanyahu government\u2019s proposed judicial overhaul. The groups are clearing houses for donations to a wide range of groups, including those aligned with Netanyahu\u2019s government.<\/p>\n The May letter<\/a> alleged that the philanthropies may have violated their nonprofit status by \u201cfunding groups engaged in radical anti-government campaigns in Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n The New Israel Fund supports progressive Jewish and Arab organizations in Israel and is often criticized by the Israeli government<\/a> and its allies in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cNIF adheres fully to both U.S. and Israeli law as it relates to our charitable work and status,\u201d Gitzin said. \u201cThat has always been the case and continues to be.\u201d<\/p>\n Gitzin said that the House letter was \u201cdrawn heavily from a lawsuit filed against NIF that was dismissed in the Southern District of New York in 2021, and wherein the State of New York declined to intervene.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNIF believed then, as we do now, that these allegations entirely lack merit,\u201d Gitzin said.<\/p>\n The allegations by the Republican lawmakers drew quick condemnation by Jewish New York Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler, who called their behavior \u201coutrageous\u201d in a post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThose seeking to undermine democracy on both sides of the ocean seem now to have found common cause,\u201d Nadler wrote. \u201cAll people of good faith must rise up and oppose this ridiculous and meritless inquisition seeking to eviscerate American Jews\u2019 fundamental First Amendment rights.\u201d<\/p>\n Netanyahu has in different contexts welcomed U.S. conservatives weighing in on Israeli internal politics.<\/a> A conservative U.S. nonprofit helped Netanyahu publish the Hebrew version of his autobiography just prior to the last election.<\/a><\/p>\n Reporting the stories that define our era. When history unfolds in real-time, the Jewish world turns to JTA. 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