Channel 14 has learned that Israel’s Registrar of Nonprofits sent a letter to the Geneva Initiative in recent days claiming the organization has failed to properly meet reporting requirements related to receiving funding from foreign political entities. The letter warned that if the deficiencies aren’t corrected, the registrar will consider exercising her authority against the organization. But this isn’t the first time: according to information we obtained, a similar warning was sent to the Geneva Initiative about two years ago, yet despite the warning, no action was taken.
3+The Registrar of Nonprofits reached out to the Geneva Initiative again following claims it failed to meet disclosure and transparency requirements related to funding from foreign political entities. According to the data provided, in 2024 the Geneva Initiative’s budget totaled approximately ₪3.7 million, with roughly 95.5% coming from foreign countries. The Geneva Initiative’s own website currently displays a notice stating that “the majority of funding for H.L. Education for Peace Ltd. comes from foreign political entities.”
In the latest letter sent to the organization, the registrar wrote: “If the nonprofit does not fulfill its reporting obligations as required, the registrar will consider exercising her authority against the nonprofit.” But the current letter raises another question about enforcement. According to information we obtained, a similar warning was already sent to the Geneva Initiative about two years ago, making clear that if the organization didn’t meet the requirements, action might be taken against it. Despite this, no proceedings were ultimately initiated against the organization.
3+Now, after the registrar claims to have found deficiencies related to reporting obligations once again, another warning has been sent—and this time too, the language doesn’t state that action will be taken, but rather that the registrar will consider exercising her authority if the requirements aren’t met.
The Geneva Initiative rejects the impression that the organization continues to ignore the registrar’s demands. According to them, the comments sent to them previously were procedural, and the deficiencies have already been corrected. The Geneva Initiative said in response: “Comments were indeed received at the time that related to procedural aspects, and as stated in the Corporations Authority’s letter from last week—all corrections were made as required already half a year ago.”
3+The Geneva Initiative was founded in 2003 and works to advance a permanent agreement between Israel and the Arabs based on a two-state solution. The organization’s website states that the official name of the Israeli entity is H.L. Education for Peace Ltd. and that the majority of its funding comes from foreign political entities.
The issue at the center of the inquiry isn’t the receipt of foreign funds itself, but rather the disclosure and transparency obligations that come with receiving funding from foreign political entities. The legislation requires entities subject to it to provide information and display appropriate disclosure regarding the source of funding, so the public can know about support coming from government sources outside Israel.
3+The significance in this case is that the dispute isn’t over whether the Geneva Initiative receives such funding—a fact the organization itself now notes on its website—but rather whether it fulfilled the reporting and publication obligations imposed on it in a timely and proper manner.
The Betzalmo organization said in response: “The reality in which an extreme left-wing organization receives millions of shekels from the European Union and foreign countries and hides this in violation of the law again and again and isn’t shut down is delusional. We call on the Registrar of Nonprofits to act with a firm hand against lawbreakers.”
The Registrar of Nonprofits has not yet provided a response.