National service at B'Tselem canceled

National service at the B’Tselem rights group has been canceled amid the NGO’s criticism of the IDF and Israel.

Israeli media report that Sar-Shalom Jerby, head of the National Service Administration, sent B’Tselem director Hagai El-Ad a strongly worded letter in which he announced that national service in the organization would no longer be permitted.

Head of the National Service Administration, Sar-Shalom Jerby Is seen during a National Service convention in Jerusalem. June 05, 2012 (photo credit: Uri Lenz/FLASH90) — Head of the National Service Administration, Sar-Shalom Jerby (left) Is seen during a National Service convention in Jerusalem. June 05, 2012 (photo credit: Uri Lenz/FLASH90)

Jerby writes that “in light of the organization’s activities against the State of Israel and IDF soldiers in Israel and abroad, I have decided to revoke your status as an operational body permitted to accept national service volunteers.”

He says the decision was made “during a period in which the State of Israel is coping with the threat of thousands of rockets and missiles on millions of its citizens, and is conducting an extensive operation to remove the threat over all the residents of Israel.”