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Pro-Israel activists protest over Breaking the Silence award nomination

April 20, 2017 10:06
Pro-Israel Campaign4Truth protesters (credit: Ambrosine Shitrit)
1 min read

Pro-Israel activists picketed an award ceremony in London last night over the nomination of Breaking the Silence, an Israeli veterans’ group which collects testimonies about alleged human rights abuses,.

The campaign group Index on Censorship had shortlisted Breaking the Silence for its Freedom of Expression award, which “honours courageous champions who fight for free speech around the world”.

Since 2004 Breaking the Silence has collected over 1,000 testimonies from Israeli soldiers who have served in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. It says it works to “expose the Israeli public to the realities of everyday life in the Occupied Territories”.

But the group has been criticised within Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asking foreign governments to cease funding it.