The Kohelet Policy Forum, a Jerusalem-based think tank that helped shape the government’s 2023 judicial reform program, has been excluded from the Knesset Finance Committee’s list of 138 Israeli nonprofits eligible for tax benefits.
This decision follows a Tax Authority review into allegations that Kohelet engages in partisan political activity. The authority has stated that more time is required to address these claims.
Kohelet, identifying itself as a nonpartisan conservative think tank, claims that it fulfills the criteria for tax-exempt status under Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance, which allows donors to claim tax credits for contributions. The organization remains confident that the committee will ultimately approve its application.
A Kohelet spokesperson told The Times of Israel: “Over 10,000 Israelis recently contributed to the Kohelet Policy Forum, and many more support our efforts to obtain Section 46 tax-exempt status. This status is routinely granted to similar organizations, and we meet all eligibility criteria. As a nonpartisan conservative pro-liberty think tank, we will not be silenced. We trust the Knesset Finance Committee will evaluate our application fairly and grant the status we qualify for when it is put to a vote.”
