Amit ben Yigal
Amit ben YigalCourtesy
Sergeant First Class Amit Ben Yigal of the Israel Defense Forces was killed on May 12 when a block was hurled at his head from a third floor roof during a mission.

“You were supposed to bury me Amit. I wasn’t supposed to bury you. I wasn’t supposed to bury you,” his father Baruch said at the funeral. “I loved you from the first moment I saw you when you came into the world. My father lies 20 meters from you. He will look after you. My mother is also here and she will also look after you,” Baruch said, speaking through tears. “Until today at 6:30 in the morning I was a happy man. Your closet is full of new clothes. Stand and wear them. You’re my son Amit. I’m broken. I’m broken. I don’t know what to do abuya [my son] I’m broken. My child you promised to take care of yourself and where are you now?”

One can read this eulogy and cry – in part because American Jews are protecting the families of the terrorist who killed Ben Yigal.

Hamoked – an organization funded by the American non-profit organization The New Israel Fundsuccessfully sued in Israeli Supreme Court this week to prevent the demolition of the home of the terrorist who murdered Ben Yigal. This story received major news in Israel – but none in the American media, where it should be covered, for American Jews are responsible for funding lawsuits like this.

Across the Israeli political spectrum, there is support for home demolition. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the court decision "unfortunate" and a "big mistake," and Defense Minister Benny Gantz agreed as they vowed to appeal the decision. Israeli Attorney General Mandelblit, whose job includes approving demolitions, has stated that there is evidence that demolitions are effective at deterring violent attacks.

And while Israelis across the political spectrum support demolition, Attorney Khaled Mahagna, who represents the Prisoners' Authority, an organization affiliated with the PLO congratuled Hamoked writing, "Indescribable joy –

"The Supreme Court in a courageous decision decided to cancel the demolition of the house of detainee Nazmi Abu Bakr, who is accused of throwing stones at an Israeli soldier and killing him." He added, "Congratulations to my friend Attorney Nadia Daqqa from the HaMoked Center, for her tremendous work in overturning the decision."

Hamoked has received more than $720,000 from New Israel Fund donors, who include the Leichtag Foundation, and Oz Benamram of Simpson Thacher while claiming to work “for the enforcement of standards and values of international human rights and humanitarian law.”

Yet, Israel’s State Prosecutor has concluded, Hamoked’s “self-presentation as ‘a human rights organization’ has no basis in reality and is designed to mislead.”

Zionist leader Berl Katznelson once asked, “Is there another People on Earth so emotionally twisted that they consider everything their nation does despicable and hateful, while every murder, rape, robbery committed by their enemies fills their hearts with admiration and awe?” Similarly today the New Israel Fund is a New York based non-profit that raises money to support projects in Israel that predominantly undermine the state; its government, economy and military.

Ben-Yigal's parents cried on Israeli TV –with his mother telling Channel 12 that "it feels like they killed him again," and his father weeping at his son's gravesite, "What happened to the judges in Israel? Where is the deterrence?"

It’s shameful that the New Israel Fund stands with the families of terrorists.

Ronn Torossian is CEO of a leading PR agency.