NGO Faces Closure Demand Over Foreign Funding and Political Ties
The Tzalmo organization filed a formal complaint against Rabbis for Human Rights, demanding its closure over alleged foreign funding violations, political involvement by its CEO, and disobedience of IDF orders.
A formal complaint was submitted to Israel's Registrar of Associations demanding an in-depth investigation and the immediate closure of the human rights organization " Rabbis for Human Rights" (registered as "Shomrim Mishpat – Rabbis for Human Rights").
The complaint, filed by the "Tzalmo" organization, details a series of alleged legal violations. According to the attached documents, in 2026 the NGO received over three million shekels from foreign governments, including more than 1.5 million shekels from the Norwegian Embassy for olive harvest activities, as well as hundreds of thousands of shekels from churches. The filing argues that since the organization's annual budget did not exceed five million shekels, foreign funding constitutes the majority of its budget, yet it allegedly fails to publish proper transparency disclosures as required by law.
Political Involvement and Operational Controversies
Another central claim involves political entanglement within the NGO's activities. The petition asserts that the organization's CEO, Avi Dabush, who announced his candidacy in the primaries of "The Democrats" party in April 2026 and was subsequently elected, continued to serve in his executive role throughout the political campaign. He allegedly utilized NGO resources and sponsored content to promote his political bid.
Furthermore, the complaint alleges that the association brings activists to olive harvests in the Burin area in violation of IDF military orders—an incident that resulted in activists being detained and two foreign nationals being deported. The NGO is also accused of failing to notify the Registrar regarding a change of its registered address from Shai Agnon Street in Jerusalem.
Response from the Organization
Concluding the petition, Tzalmo CEO Shai Glick stated: "In light of all the above, an in-depth investigation into the association's activities must be opened, and it should be shut down immediately."
In response, Rabbis for Human Rights stated: "Rabbis for Human Rights is a law-abiding organization that has operated for over three decades with proper governance and complete transparency, submitting regular quarterly financial reports to the Registrar of Associations and the Tax Authority. We have nothing to hide, neither from the authorities nor from the public. The association operates for human rights in Israel and the territories driven by Jewish values of human dignity and the sanctity of life, in full accordance with the law and IDF instructions."
