Ministry warns: Hamas NGO scandal deeper than imagined - Rachel Kaplan

by Rachel Kaplan

Foreign Affairs Min. Director Dore Gold, after World Vision donation scandal: "More humanitarian aid organizations helping Hamas."

Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold

Hadas Parush/Flash90

 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director Dore Gold condemned the NGO World Vision's transfer of funds to Hamas.

In a published statement, Gold expressed his horror that "one of the largest charitable and humanitarian aid organizations in the world" gave "approximately $7.2 million to the military wing of Hamas...mainly to strengthen its terrorist arm."

That adds up to around 60 percent of the World Vision's annual budget for Gaza.

"Hamas is closely linked to the security apparatus of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is seeking to spread its military influence through its Middle Eastern surrogates," explained Gold, denying suggestions that money given to Hamas was used humanitarian purposes.

"These funds were utilized to finance the digging of terror tunnels, the construction of military bases, and the purchase of weapons."

The global body of World Vision has denied any knowledge of wrongdoing. However, Israel revealed earlier today that local Gaza branch leader Mohammed El-Halibi was in charge of the operation. Gold estimates "that El-Halibi managed to transfer in the decade of his work at World Vision...tens of millions of dollars." "At the very least, that means there was no supervision of his activities.

Gold also warned that "the investigation revealed much information concerning additional figures in Gaza who exploited their work in humanitarian aid organizations and UN institutions, on behalf of Hamas."

Deputy Foreign Minister MK Tzipi Hotovely agrees, and thinks Israel needs to do more to protect both humanitarian organizations, and the people their they're trying to help. "Israel has known for a long while that Hamas is fed by the monies of 'human rights organizations.' Instead of improving the situation in Gaza and rebuilding, Hamas uses money which was intended for children and the needy to manufacture rockets and tunnels."

She continued: "It's important to tighten the controls over humanitarian organizations' donations, and especially to concern ourselves with whether the money is used for the purpose for which it was given."


Rachel Kaplan

Source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/215997

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