George Soros
George SorosReuters

A spokesperson for the US State Department said Tuesday that Washington is "troubled" by Russia's banning of the Open Society fund founded by US hedge fund billionaire George Soros.

Spokesperson Mark Toner said the November 30 designation of the Open Society Foundations and the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation as so-called "undesirable" organizations "will only further restrict the work of civil society in Russia for the benefit of the Russian people."

A spokesperson with Russia's Prosecutor-General's Office said the activities of the two branches of Soros's charity network represent a threat to both state security and the Russian constitution.

"It was found that the activity of the Open Society Foundations and the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation represents a threat to the foundations of the constitutional system of the Russian Federation and the security of the state," a translated version of the press statement read.

The Russian government hinted in July that it might ban the foundation along with a number of other "pro-democracy" organizations accused of launching "soft aggression" in the country.

Soros also came under fire in his Hungarian homeland in October when state politicians accused him and his charity of supporting illegal migration. OSF had criticized Hungary's' treatment of migrants and Soros suggested migrants should receive $16,000 per year to help cover housing, healthcare and education costs.

In a statement issued after the decision was announced, Toner said the move is yet another example of Russia’s "growing crackdown on independent voices and a deliberate step to further isolate the Russian people from the world."

The Open Society Foundations said in a statement posted on their website that they were "dismayed" by Russia's decision.

'Soft aggression' in Israel?

The Open Society has also funded organizations in Israel that could be said to engage in "soft aggression" toward the state.

A 2013 report by watchdog group NGO-Monitor listed the many causes in Israel, or pertaining to Israel, that are funded by Soros’ Open Society Foundations.

Among the top beneficiaries of OSF funding is Human Rights Watch, which has been criticized for targeting, and falsely libeling, the state of Israel. Another is J Street, which describes itself as “pro-Israel” but has been termed anti-Israel by others for, among other things, welcoming proponents of a boycott on Israel at its national conference and honoring IDF soldiers who refused orders.

Among the Israeli recipients is Adalah, which promotes the so-called “right of return” to Israel, which would allow millions of descendants of Arabs who fled Israel during the War of Independence to claim Israel as their home (without reference to the many more Jews displaced during the fighting and in the years that followed).

OSF also funds Al Haq, an Arab organization based in the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Ramallah, north of Jerusalem. NGO-Monitor’s researchers described Al-Haq director Shawan Jabarin as “a human rights campaigner by day and a terrorist by night,” who is among the senior members of the PFLP terrorist group.

The extreme-left Israeli group B’Tselem also receives OSF funds. B’Tselem is notorious for publishing one-sided reports, and for inflating Arab civilian casualty figures

B’Tselem has listed OSF as a source of support, but OSF has not listed B’Tselem as a recipient, indicating that the grant may have come through an overseas entity.

The report listed several other controversial, far-left Israeli groups that receive direct or indirect OSF Funding, including Rabbis for Human Rights, Ir Amim, Yesh Din and the New Israel Fund.

Overall, information on Soros’ OSF “suggests a deliberate emphasis on influencing the highly complex Israeli-Palestinian arena,” NGO-Monitor concludes.

“There is no comparable focus by Soros family and OSF gifts or his foundation network on promoting democracy or economic development in Palestinian society, nor on surrounding Arab societies,” it added.