Other Criticism and Controversy
In September 2012, in the context of a Breaking the Silence report on abuse IDF abuse of Palestinian children, Danny Lamm, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, expressed his concern that the Israel Defense Forces were unable to look into any of the claims because they are presented as "anonymous ... devoid of critical detail and untested by any kind of cross-questioning." In addition, Lamm said that Breaking the Silence is exploiting the testimonies "for propaganda effect." Yehuda Shaul, a Breaking the Silence member, said on this matter that, "over 70 of our testifiers have come out publicly with their names and identities revealed, and I'm one of them. If the IDF was interested in investigating our claims, we probably would have already been summoned to interrogations". About Lamm's criticism specifically, Dana Golan, executive director of Breaking the Silence, said the testimonies "meet the highest standards of investigative journalism" and unusual cases are "corroborated by two independent sources." In a statement co-signed by 15 ex-soldiers, she accused Lamm of "pontificating from afar."
In May 2012, The Forward Editor at Large, J.J. Goldberg, wrote that Breaking the Silence is a "left-wing soldiers’ protest organization" as part of an article on certain rabbis being involved with the Israel Defense Forces.
In July 2009, journalist Amos Harel published in Ha’aretz: “Breaking the Silence...has a clear political agenda, and can no longer be classed as a ‘human rights organization.’ Any organization whose website includes the claim by members to expose the ‘corruption which permeates the military system’ is not a neutral observer. The organization has a clear agenda: to expose the consequences of IDF troops serving in the West Bank and Gaza. This seems more of interest to its members than seeking justice for specific injustices.” It was also criticized as promoting Anti-Israeli lawfare
Read more about this topic: Breaking The Silence (non-governmental Organization)
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