Swiss government officials defended their decision to fund an exhibition by "Breaking the Silence," an Israeli group whose purpose is to reveal Israeli war crimes and other immoral acts, the JTA (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) website reports today (May 22, 2015).
Breaking the Silence is scheduled to put on the exhibition next month in Zurich, with funding from the Swiss federal government and the city, Swiss officials confirmed this week, citing Switzerland's "commitment to increasing dialogue about human rights."
Founded in Israel in 2004, Breaking the Silence uses testimonies -- mostly anonymous -- by Israeli soldiers who recount their experiences serving in the West Bank and their interactions with Arab population there as well as in eastern Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Gaza. The group's founders have said they want to end Israel's occupation of the West Bank.
In Israel, Breaking the Silence has generated a heated debate, with supporters crediting the group with raising awareness to what they consider to be immoral effects of occupation, while critics accuse them of spreading falsehoods and helping Israel's enemies weaken and isolate the Jewish state.
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