MK Faina Kirshenbaum
MK Faina KirshenbaumKnesset website

In a compromise suggested by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the parliamentary committees that are to probe the sources of funding of radical leftist groups will also look into the funding of nationalist groups, Channel 2 reported Saturday night.

The Knesset committees will attempt to find out what foreign governments and international funds are financing the operation of leftist "human rights" NGO's that fight Israel from within. Following the NGO's claims that the committtes amount to political persecution, Netanyahu has decided that nationalist groups should also be inspected. 
 
Nationalists groups did not express concern at this turn of events, because they are not funded by foreign governments or international funds. Private donations will not be included in the inquiries. Im Tirtzu, a leading grassroots student group that promotes Zionist values, has published evidence that shows that foreign governments have funded leftist groups through Arab funds that are connected to terror. The groups complained in response that Im Tirtzu received money from evangelist pastor John Hagee, and have tried to claim that receiving money from American evangelists can be construed as receiving funding from the United States. 
 
It appears at present that there will be two Knesset committees with similar mandates operating side by side - one led by MK Danny Danon (Likud) and the second by MK Faina Kirshenbaum (Israel is Our Home). Both MKs have stated their intention to look into funding of leftist "human rights groups," but Danon's committee is also to look into the foreign financing of Arab land purchases.