Breaking the Silence won’t admit what it was doing in UK consulate’s car – Diaspora

Two members of the British Consulate reportedly chauffeured a co-founder of the NGO Breaking the Silence (BTS), which is made up of former IDF soldiers who report about negative experiences serving over the Green Line, in an official consulate vehicle, it was revealed on Monday.

The right-wing organization Im Tirtzu said BTS co-founder Yehuda Shaul hosted the two British Consulate members on July 25, but it was the British who did the driving. When The Jerusalem Post asked BTS about the matter, the NGO refused comment.

Since 2005, BTS has been conducting tours to Hebron for members of the Israeli public and foreign visitors, though they were temporarily suspended in 2008 when a group of United Kingdom diplomats were harassed with stones and eggs by Jewish settlers.

But it is less common for the organization to travel in officially marked cars.

Im Tirtzu sent videos to The Jerusalem Post of the two members receiving a private tour of Givon Hahadasha, which is located near the West Bank settlement of Givat Ze’ev, by Shaul, claiming that the British consulate members had picked up Shaul and were driving him around prior to and during the tour.

A security guard, who asked to remain anonymous, witnessed the events and was able to confirm for the Post that the car belonged to the British Consulate and was an official vehicle.

“I saw Yehuda Shaul arrive in the British Consulate’s vehicle with two people from the consulate themselves,” the security guard said. “After verifying their identity opposite a Ministry of Foreign Affairs situational room and [receiving] clearance from the DCO [District Coordination Office], permission was granted [to them] for entry into the settlement.”

Asked again if the vehicle was definitely an official British Consulate vehicle, the security guard said it was, emphasizing that it was “Shaul who stepped out of the vehicle that had white-identified consulate number plates with the two consulates.”

“He [Shaul] gave an explanation and a tour in opposition to the settlement… and told them false stories and such,” the guard added.

In the videos, the consulate members and Shaul are seen standing by the security barrier speaking with Palestinians about the situation. Shaul is also heard saying the fenced-off area they are standing by is a “cage.”

In a second vehicle, the three are also seen standing next to the consulate vehicle, in which the consulate members arrived. There are white number plates clearly visible on the car, which match the description of the type of number plates used in Israel for foreign consulate and embassy officials.

Matan Peleg, CEO of Im Tirtzu, said this matter “crossed a redline.”

“This joint tour between the British Consulate and Breaking the Silence, a radical foreign government-funded NGO whose sole purpose is to slander Israel, crossed a redline,” Peleg said. “The Israeli public understood long ago that the true goal of Breaking the Silence is to harm Israel.

“Now, we are witness to them working with foreign governments in Israel in order to ‘catch Jews in action,’” he stressed. Peleg added that “Israel must make it clear to foreign governments that such conduct is unacceptable.”

In July 2018, the government passed what is known as the “Breaking the Silence” Law by a majority of 43 to 23. The law bars activists who slander Israel and the IDF in international forums from entering school premises. When the law was proposed by MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, former Education Minister Naftali Bennett said he supported it because, “Breaking the Silence long ago crossed the red lines beyond legitimate discourse when they started libeling Israel in the international arena. As long as they operate against Israel and the IDF abroad, I won’t let them in the education system.”

The British Consulate did not respond to several requests from comment.

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