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08-05-2016, 04:50 AM
OCCUPIED AL-QUDS: Israel on Thursday charged the Gaza director of a major US-based Christian NGO with having diverted millions of dollars in foreign aid to the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas and its armed wing.
The Shin Bet internal security service said $7.2 million given to World Vision had been diverted to Hamas each year, with some of it funding the Gaza Strip rulers’ military campaign against Israel.
World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organisation, reacted by saying it had "** reason to believe" the allegations against Mohammed Halabi were true.
Halabi was recruited by Hamas to infiltrate the aid organisation more than a decade ago, rising to become the head of World Vision’s Gaza operation, the charge sheet said.
He was arrested in June and indicted on Thursday on a number of charges, including funding terror.
Shin Bet said there was ** evidence that World Vision’s main ****** was aware of Halabi’s actions.
Since Halabi took over operations in 2010, roughly 60 percent of World Vision’s annual budget in Gaza was diverted to Hamas, including its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, according to Shin Bet.
This equated to $7.2 million per year, including roughly $1.5 million given in cash to Hamas combat units.
World Vision, which employs tens of thousands of people globally, said its programmes were subject to "regular internal and independent audits, independent evaluations" to avoid aid being misused.
"Based on the information available to us at this time, we have ** reason to believe that the allegations are true," it said in a statement.
The Christian charity works in conjunction with the United Nations, often implementing its projects.
It has worked in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since 1975.
A 2015 statement on World Vision’s website said it provided support to roughly 90,000 people in Gaza.
Since 2008, Israel has fought three wars in Gaza with Hamas, which is branded a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
Israel said the charges were proof that Hamas did **t respect the neutrality of aid agencies.
"This money was intended for construction projects, financial aid and even food donations for Gazans in need," Major General Yoav Mordechai, head of the military body that coordinates Israeli activities in the West Bank and Gaza, said in a statement.
"Hamas stole this money and passed it to its military wing to build bases, provide salary bonuses and dig tunnels."
Over two-thirds of Gaza’s 1.9 million people are dependent on some form of aid, according to the United Nations.
The revelations could lead to increased pressure on foreign aid organisations, and Avi Dichter, head of the Israeli parliament’s foreign and defence committee, warned foreign funders to be more cautious. "The naiveté of well-meaning groups enables sophisticated Hamas terrorists to divert aid to terror infrastructures," he said.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~4/njmJTtx57Uc
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The Shin Bet internal security service said $7.2 million given to World Vision had been diverted to Hamas each year, with some of it funding the Gaza Strip rulers’ military campaign against Israel.
World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organisation, reacted by saying it had "** reason to believe" the allegations against Mohammed Halabi were true.
Halabi was recruited by Hamas to infiltrate the aid organisation more than a decade ago, rising to become the head of World Vision’s Gaza operation, the charge sheet said.
He was arrested in June and indicted on Thursday on a number of charges, including funding terror.
Shin Bet said there was ** evidence that World Vision’s main ****** was aware of Halabi’s actions.
Since Halabi took over operations in 2010, roughly 60 percent of World Vision’s annual budget in Gaza was diverted to Hamas, including its military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, according to Shin Bet.
This equated to $7.2 million per year, including roughly $1.5 million given in cash to Hamas combat units.
World Vision, which employs tens of thousands of people globally, said its programmes were subject to "regular internal and independent audits, independent evaluations" to avoid aid being misused.
"Based on the information available to us at this time, we have ** reason to believe that the allegations are true," it said in a statement.
The Christian charity works in conjunction with the United Nations, often implementing its projects.
It has worked in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories since 1975.
A 2015 statement on World Vision’s website said it provided support to roughly 90,000 people in Gaza.
Since 2008, Israel has fought three wars in Gaza with Hamas, which is branded a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
Israel said the charges were proof that Hamas did **t respect the neutrality of aid agencies.
"This money was intended for construction projects, financial aid and even food donations for Gazans in need," Major General Yoav Mordechai, head of the military body that coordinates Israeli activities in the West Bank and Gaza, said in a statement.
"Hamas stole this money and passed it to its military wing to build bases, provide salary bonuses and dig tunnels."
Over two-thirds of Gaza’s 1.9 million people are dependent on some form of aid, according to the United Nations.
The revelations could lead to increased pressure on foreign aid organisations, and Avi Dichter, head of the Israeli parliament’s foreign and defence committee, warned foreign funders to be more cautious. "The naiveté of well-meaning groups enables sophisticated Hamas terrorists to divert aid to terror infrastructures," he said.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~4/njmJTtx57Uc
أكثر... (http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~3/njmJTtx57Uc/140267-Israel-charges-NGOs-Gaza-head-diverted-millions-to-Hamas)