Im Tirtzu

Im Tirtzu
source
Name	Im Tirtzu
Native name	עַם תִּרְצוּ
Formation	2006
Type	NGO
Headquarters	Tel Aviv
Location	Israel

Im Tirtzu

Im Tirtzu is an Israeli organization founded in 2006 that positions itself within national advocacy and civic activism. It engages with public debate, academic institutions, and media through campaigns, legal action, and public events involving a range of Israeli and international actors. The group has intersected with numerous figures and institutions across Israeli political, academic, and cultural life.

History

Im Tirtzu was established amid debates involving Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert, Benjamin Netanyahu, Shimon Peres, and other Israeli leaders during the 2000s, emerging alongside movements such as Peace Now, Gush Shalom, Hadash, Meretz, and Likud Beytenu. Its formation was contemporaneous with policy shifts after the Second Lebanon War, the Gaza disengagement plan, and the dynamics of the Knesset under parliamentary politics involving parties like Kadima, Labor Party, Yesh Atid, and Joint List. Early activities referenced public debates around the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and international actors including United States, European Union, United Nations, and NATO in relation to Israeli society. The organization's timeline includes interactions with academic institutions such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Open University of Israel, as well as cultural venues like the Israel Museum and media outlets including Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Yedioth Ahronoth, and The Times of Israel.

Ideology and Objectives

Im Tirtzu articulates objectives tied to concepts of national identity and Zionist discourse connected to figures such as Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, David Ben-Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Ze'ev Jabotinsky. It situates itself in contrast to organizations like B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, and Adalah while engaging with narratives promoted by commentators such as Micha Oren, Yossi Klein Halevi, Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua, and public intellectuals across Israeli society. The group frames its mission in relation to policies debated in forums like the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee, the Supreme Court of Israel, and municipal councils in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, and Haifa.

Activities and Campaigns

Im Tirtzu has conducted campaigns aimed at university faculty, media figures, cultural institutions, and NGOs, invoking events involving Sderot, Gaza Strip, West Bank, Mount Herzl, and memorial sites like Yad Vashem in advocacy and protest. Campaign targets have included academics associated with Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, University of Haifa, and Open University of Israel, along with journalists from Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Maariv, and broadcasters at Israel Broadcasting Authority and Kan. Activities have included publication of reports, public demonstrations near venues such as Tel Aviv City Hall, petitions to bodies like the Knesset Ethics Committee, and collaboration or contention with civil society organizations such as Eretz Hakodesh Foundation, Shaharit, Amuta for Social Change, and international NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The organization's leadership and staff have engaged with political figures and donors linked to Israeli and international Zionist networks, including philanthropists and foundations associated with names such as Ron Lauder, Sheldon Adelson, Paul Singer, Charles Bronfman, and foundations like the Rothschild family philanthropic initiatives. Internal structure references include a central board, advocacy teams, legal counsel, and volunteer networks active across municipalities like Tel Aviv-Yafo, Jerusalem District, Central District, and the Negev. Im Tirtzu has reported funding streams from private donors, grassroots contributions, and grants interacting with regulatory bodies such as the Registrar of Non-Profits and tax authorities; its finances have been scrutinized in scrutiny involving institutions such as the State Comptroller of Israel and debated in the High Court of Justice.

Controversies and Criticism

The organization has been the subject of controversy involving public figures, academic freedom debates, and legal disputes with entities like Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Bar-Ilan University, and civil society groups including B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence, and Physicians for Human Rights Israel. Criticism has come from politicians across the spectrum, such as Tzipi Livni, Yair Lapid, Ayelet Shaked, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Lieberman, and commentators in outlets like Haaretz, The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. Debates have referenced international academic norms exemplified by organizations such as the American Association of University Professors and events involving diplomatic missions like the Embassy of the United States, Jerusalem and consulates.

Legal Actions and Government Relations

Im Tirtzu has engaged in legal actions, petitions, and submissions to Israeli courts, including cases brought before the Supreme Court of Israel and lower courts, and interaction with the Ministry of Education (Israel), the Ministry of Culture and Sport (Israel), and municipal authorities in Tel Aviv-Yafo and Jerusalem. Its litigation and advocacy intersected with jurisprudence areas connected to the Basic Laws of Israel, disputes over public funding, and administrative decisions challenged in tribunals and the State Attorney's offices. The organization has also participated in public hearings at the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and provided testimony relevant to policy deliberations.

Public Reception and Impact

Public reception has varied, with endorsements and condemnations from activists, politicians, academics, journalists, and cultural figures including Amos Oz, David Grossman, A.B. Yehoshua, Gilad Atzmon, Noam Chomsky, Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Cohen, and organizations like Civic Forum and international Jewish bodies such as the World Jewish Congress and Jewish Agency for Israel. The group's campaigns have influenced debates in media outlets such as Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and on broadcast arenas like Channel 2 and Channel 10, and prompted responses from academic bodies, cultural institutions, and policymakers in municipal and national forums.

Category:Political organizations in Israel