In a political climate that is increasingly marked by repression, NIF’s Civil Society Protection Hub unites leading NIF grantees under a cohesive operational framework to function as a one-stop-shop for organizations and activists to get the help they need. For a second year in a row, this program is proudly Canadian-funded.
The work of the Hub, a network of NIF grantees that include the Human Rights Defenders Fund (HRDF), Mehazkim, FakeReporter, Democratic Bloc, Citizens’ HQ, and NIF’s action arm, Shatil, spans three major channels: legal action, public advocacy, and security and monitoring. Drawing inspiration from similar global efforts in countries facing democratic erosion, the Hub offers both reactive and proactive support through what it now terms “community-based power-building”—helping targeted activists not only survive attacks but grow more resilient and influential within their own networks.
Over the course of 2024 and 2025, the Hub has expanded its reach as well as the scope of its work. Leveraging the diversity and experience of its members, it has honed its ability to anticipate threats, prevent and respond to attacks, and make strategic decisions about individual cases and trends affecting civil society.
Here are just a few of ways the Hub has supported activists and organizations in the last year:
- Legal Empowerment for Student Democracy
In December 2024, members of Standing Together were barred from running in student elections at the Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, in what appeared to be part of a broader crackdown on progressive student activity. The Hub’s legal team intervened to help the students file a petition in court. The court ruled affirmed their right to participate in student governance. This intervention not only reversed the disqualification but also sent a strong legal precedent defending political freedom on campus. - Resilience After an Attack on a Reform Synagogue
On the eve of Israel’s Memorial Day in April 2025, far-right extremists violently disrupted a screening of the joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony at a Reform synagogue in Ra’anana. Assailants shattered windows, hurled stones, and injured attendees. In the aftermath, the Hub mobilized on several fronts: it organized a series of public awareness events, published detailed testimonies and analysis linking the attackers to right-wing political figures, and provided on-site psychological support and security consultation to synagogue members. This comprehensive response helped reframe the narrative in the public sphere and offered tangible protection to the targeted community. - Exposing Coordinated Smear Campaigns Against Hostages
After her release from Hamas captivity, Liri Albag gave a radio interview in which she held Prime Minister Netanyahu partially responsible for the events of October 7. She was swiftly targeted by an orchestrated online smear campaign. FakeReporter, a Hub partner, traced the attacks to coordinated far-right networks and exposed them publicly, generating widespread media coverage. The backlash was so significant that Netanyahu was pressured to condemn the attacks, distancing himself from elements within his own base.
