[SOROS] Center for Constitutional Rights Condemns House Vote on Anti-BDS Resolution

July 23, 2019, New York, Washington, D.C. – In response to the passage of House Resolution 246, the Center for Constitutional Rights issued the following statement:

“Today’s vote on H.R. 246 exposes the hypocrisy of lawmakers who claim to stand in solidarity with marginalized communities. The tactic of boycott is essential for these communities and their allies to resist oppression and has been critical in ending human rights abuses from segregation in the Jim Crow South to apartheid in South Africa. The constitutionally-protected right to boycott in pursuit of social justice belongs to all people, including those advocating for the human rights of Palestinians. We are deeply dismayed that in this global climate of repression, lawmakers have chosen to silence dissent rather than double their efforts to protect it. It is a particular disgrace that 77 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus voted to support a resolution to chill constitutionally-protected speech, which demonstrates a dangerous degree of political incoherence.”

The Center for Constitutional Rights works with communities under threat to fight for justice and liberation through litigation, advocacy, and strategic communications. Since 1966, The Center for Constitutional Rights has taken on oppressive systems of power, including structural racism, gender oppression, economic inequity, and governmental overreach.

Sep 3, 2010

Soros Makes The Kochs Look Like Political Skinflints

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielfisher/2010/09/03/soros-makes-the-kochs-look-like-political-skinflints/#6e7865634d0c

Now look at billionaire George Soros.

This year, Soros and his children have given some $150,000 to political candidates, according to the Federal Election Commission. campaigns including Blanche Lincoln's in Arkansas).

But direct politics is just the tip of the iceberg.

According to the most recent reports available, Soros has donated some $2 billion to his Open Society Institute, which pursues a wide variety of political initiatives around the world. Much of the money went to support pro-democracy activists and the like battling corrupt and oppressive regimes.

Here in the U.S., the institution has backed a profusion of community organization, "education" and get-out-the-vote groups that seem to have concentrated their activities in important swing states like Michigan and Ohio in the 2008 election year. No reports are available for 2010 but it's a safe bet a similar amount flowed to organizations which, while not explicitly in favor of a specific candidate, support cherished causes of the Democratic Party and its financial supporters: non-judicial elections, municipal employee unions, universal healthcare. Among the top five U.S. recipients in 2008 were Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection ($5 million); the American Constitution Society, which is fighting the originalism and textual analysis of the Constitution advocated by conservative justices like Antonin Scalia ($3.7 million); and the Proteus Fund, a little-known Massachusetts foundation that establishes state-level think tanks for cultivating liberal candidates and supports vaguely defined concepts like "shared governance" and "harnessing elites’ self-interest for mass civic participation." Open Society also gave $5 million to the Tides Center and its foundation.

Below, a partial list of groups funded by Open Society and Tides in 2008:

Alliance for Climate Protection $5,000,000.00 Drug Policy Institute $4,000,000.00 Media Development and Loan Fund $3,900,000.00 American Constitution Society $3,650,000.00 Proteus Fund $3,200,000.00 Revenue Watch Institute $3,000,000.00 Tides Foundation $2,875,000.00 Third Way $2,250,000.00 Tides Center $2,100,000.00 Public Interest Projects $1,700,000.00 Rudolf Steiner Foundation $1,530,000.00 Center for Independent Media $1,500,000.00 Working America Education Fund $1,169,000.00 Project Vote $1,066,000.00 Center for NYC Neighborhoods $1,000,000.00 Center for American Progress $1,000,000.00 Link Media $1,000,000.00 Foundation to Promote Open Society $1,000,000.00 Center for Community Change $805,000.00 Catalist $801,000.00 Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education $775,000.00 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities $750,000.00 PowerPAC.org $750,000.00 Institute for America’s Future $700,000.00 National Security Archive Fund $695,000.00 William J Brennan Center $675,000.00 Media Matters $625,000.00 NRDC $620,000.00 The Advancement Project $600,000.00 Public Justice Center $575,000.00 Community Rights Center $500,000.00 People for the American Way $500,000.00 Living Cities $500,000.00 La Raza $500,000.00 Center for Progressive Leadership $500,000.00 Center for Investigative Reporting $476,000.00 Protex a network for progressive texas $473,000.00 NAACP $450,000.00 Free Press, Florence, Mass $450,000.00 Demos $450,000.00 ABA Fund for Justice $400,000.00 Project Vote $400,000.00 Focus Project $400,000.00 National Women’s Law Center $400,000.00 EFF $400,000.00 Civic Engagement Fund $400,000.00 Center for Progressive Reform $400,000.00 Tides Center $382,000.00 Center for Independent Media $350,000.00 Due Process of Law Foundation $315,000.00 Grassroots Leadership $305,000.00 Project on Government Oversight $300,000.00 Progressive States Foundation $300,000.00 League of Young Voters Education Fund $300,000.00 Justice Policy Center $300,000.00 Drum Major Institute $300,000.00 Center for Responsible lending $300,000.00 Center for Political Accountability $300,000.00 Center for Democracy and Technology $300,000.00 Center for Democracy and Freedom $300,000.00 ACORN $294,000.00 Consumer Federation of America $275,000.00 Natl Consumer Law Center $250,000.00 American Library Assoc. $250,000.00 Union of Concerned Scientists $250,000.00 Govt accountability project $250,000.00 Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Calif $250,000.00 EarthJustice $250,000.00 Amnesty Intl $250,000.00 American Assoc for Social Justice $250,000.00 Center for Progressive Leadership $250,000.00 George Washington U $240,000.00 Capital Litigation Communications Project $230,000.00 Public Interest Research Group $230,000.00 Foundation for National Progress $225,000.00 USAction Coalition $205,000.00 American Judicature Society $200,000.00 Human Rights Campaign Foundation $200,000.00 Alliance for Justice $200,000.00 Consumers Union $200,000.00 Critical Resistance $200,000.00 Center for Constitutional Rights $200,000.00 Movement Strategy Center Oakland $200,000.00 Center for Public Interest Research $200,000.00 Natl Institut Money in state politics $160,000.00 Center for Community Change $160,000.00 Wired on Wheels $150,000.00 Colorado Center Law and Policy $150,000.00 Ruckus Society $150,000.00 United for a Fair Economy $150,000.00 Progressive America Fund - center for working families $150,000.00 Oregon Center for Public Policy $150,000.00 Apollo Alliance $150,000.00 Drum Major Institute $150,000.00 Civic Justice $125,000.00 center for responsive politics $125,000.00 Center for Media Justice $125,000.00 Center for International Policy $120,000.00 Oregon Progress Forun $100,000.00 New Democracy Project $100,000.00 USAction Coalition $100,000.00 EarthRights International $100,000.00 Illinois Campaign for Judicial Reform $100,000.00 Democracy a Journal of Ideas $100,000.00 Center for public accountability $100,000.00 Progress Michigan $100,000.00 Political Research Assoc $100,000.00 Center for Public Interest Research $100,000.00 Center on Budget and Policy Priorities $100,000.00 Missouri Citizen Education Fund $90,000.00 ProgressOhio Education $90,000.00 PETA $81,000.00 Michigan Citizens Eduication Fund $80,000.00 Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts $75,000.00 Virginia Organizing Project $75,000.00 Institute for Policy Studies $60,000.00 Campaign for America’s Future $55,000.00 People for the American Way $54,000.00 George Mason U $49,000.00 Iowa Citzen Action Network Education Foundation $40,000.00 VoterPunch $40,000.00 DemocracyinAction $35,000.00 Ducks Unlimited $2,025.00

Cases against Israel

by Soros’ Center for Constitutional Rights

https://www.ngo-monitor.org/reports/center_for_constitutional_rights_serial_abuse_of_international_law/

Summary

Despite CCR’s claimed commitment to strengthening international human rights, a review of the NGO’s work suggests otherwise. Although there are certain areas in which CCR has followed its mandate, the disproportionate criticism of Israel and disregard for the context of terror severely detracts from the organization’s integrity. It is particularly disturbing that for an organization committed to legal frameworks and protecting human rights, in the case of Israel, CCR consistently applies double standards, ignoring the abuses committed against Israeli civilians. By doing so, CCR promotes injustice, undermines international law, contributes to a culture of impunity by groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and advances the demonization of Israel.

Case Against Caterpillar Inc.

On March 15, 2005, CCR filed a suit against Caterpillar, Inc. on behalf of the parents of Rachel Corrie, an International Solidarity Movement campaigner who was accidentally killed by an IDF bulldozer while trying to interfere with an anti-terror operation on March 16, 2003. CCR maintains that Caterpillar knowingly, “provided specially designed bulldozers to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) that it knew would be used to demolish homes and endanger civilians.” The NGO further claims that Corrie was a “peace activist protesting the demolition of Palestinian homes,” who was “brutally killed.” This description is a misrepresentation of the events leading to Corrie’s death. NGO Monitor as well as other organizations have reported on the circumstances surrounding her death. Once again, CCR has deleted this crucial information from the record.

Of the international human rights cases that are currently on CCR’s docket, two target Israeli officials. No CCR publications, statements, or lawsuits were found on the conflicts and massive human rights abuses in Darfur, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Iran, Chechnya, Saudi Arabia, or North Korea after searching the organization’s website.

Other notable CCR activities against Israel include a case against Caterpillar Inc. on behalf of the parents of Rachel Corrie for knowingly “providing specially designed bulldozers to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) that it knew would be used to demolish homes and endanger civilians”.

In an open letter to President George Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, CCR excoriated the United States for selling weapons to Israel, making the specious claim that “Israel’s conduct cannot be equated in any way with that of its enemies but is vastly superior in its catastrophic consequences.” In an anti-Israel strategy document drafted by the UN Workshop on Palestine Work in the Global Peace Movement, CCR is listed as an organization that should be utilized to promote the Palestinian narrative.

CCR’s Attempted Prosecution of Israeli Officials

Belhas v. Ya’alon

On December 15, 2005, CCR filed a case against Moshe Ya’alon, then former head of the Intelligence Branch and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The plaintiff, Saadallah Ali Belhas, allegedly lost his wife and three children in an attack by the IDF against a Hezbollah stronghold in Qana, Lebanon in 1996. CCR, which represented plaintiffs in the case, charged Yaalon with “war crimes, extrajudicial killing, crimes against humanity, and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” The complaint further claims that forces under Ya’alon’s command were “deliberately and wantonly attacking and killing” civilians who had taken refuge in a UN compound near Qana and failed to warn the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) compound of impending attacks.

CCR’s case against Ya’alon is predicated on the conviction that the IDF targeted a UN compound for the sole reason of inflicting harm against civilians. The website’s summary of the case deletes the context of the ongoing terror attacks against Israel. (In the five weeks prior to the incident, seven Israelis were killed by Hezbollah attacks, and the IDF response was intended to prevent Hezbollah from launching Katyusha rockets into Northern Israel. CCR also ignores Hezbollah’s use of human shields at the time of the IDF operation – in itself a clear violation of international law.

Even Human Rights Watch, which issued a critical report against Israel, acknowledged that “the only thing you [the public] can accuse us of being weak is on the issue of Hizballah shielding.” (Ellen Yan, “Rights Group Chides Israel, Hezbollah,” Newsday, May 23, 1996).

Defendant’s court filings reveal that CCR omitted critical facts from its filings, including that more countries voted against or abstained from voting for a UN General Assembly Resolution condemning the bombing than those countries who voted for it. Moreover, the determination of former President Clinton that the incident was a “tragic misfiring in Israel’s legitimate exercise of its right to self defense” is also missing from CCR’s synopses. The case was dismissed by the federal court judge on December 14, 2006.

Matar v. Dichter

The second case filed by CCR against an Israeli government official sought to prosecute Avi Dichter, former Director of Israel’s General Security Service. On December 8, 2005, CCR together with radical Palestinian NGO, PCHR, charged Dichter with “war crimes and other gross human rights violations,” for an attack which allegedly killed fifteen people, including Sheik Salah Shehada, a founder of the military wing of Hamas and one of Israel’s most wanted terrorists.

The attack against Shehada took place on June 22, 2002, when the Israeli Air Force fired a missile into Shehada’ home, killing fifteen and injuring around 100 people. CCR’s summary implies that the IDF attack in Gaza was motivated by nothing more than a desire for wanton destruction and killing of innocents. The synopses, however, ignores that Shehada masterminded hundreds of terror attacks, including a bus bombing which killed many Israelis in Jerusalem a month earlier. CCR also pointedly fails to mention that one day prior to the Israeli attack, Shehada took responsibility for an attack in Tel-Aviv on June 16 in which eight Israelis were killed in an ambush by Palestinian gunmen dressed as Israeli soldiers.

Charging Dichter with “intentional attacks on civilians,” suggests a serious lack of understanding, if not deliberate obfuscation, by CCR regarding the norms of international law related to self-defense against terrorism. Indeed, in its procedural maneuvering in court, CCR filed a motion asking the court to strike from the record evidence produced by Dichter regarding Shehada’s terrorist activity and historical background regarding Hamas’ war against Israel. On May 2, 2007, the US federal judge dismissed CCR’s case against Dichter, but in terms of anti-Israel demonization, CCR had achieved its goal.

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