Australia suspends World Vision aid over Hamas funding accusations
Mohammad El Halabi, World Vision’s manager of operations in Gaza, was arrested by Israel on June 15 while crossing the border
Australia said on Friday it was suspending funding for relief group World Vision’s operations in the Palestinian Territories after allegations its Gaza representative funneled millions of dollars to Islamist militant group, Hamas.
Mohammad El Halabi, World Vision’s manager of operations in Gaza, was arrested by Israel on June 15 while crossing the border into the enclave, which is under the de facto rule of Hamas, a group on the Israeli and US terrorism blacklists.
A senior Israeli security official on Thursday said Halabi, who has run the group’s Gaza operations since 2010, had been under extended surveillance and had confessed to siphoning off some $7.2 million a year to Hamas.
World Vision said it was shocked by the claims and a Hamas spokesman said the group had no connection with Halabi.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) called the allegations “deeply troubling” and said in a statement that it was “urgently seeking more information from World Vision and the Israeli authorities.”
“We are suspending the provision of further funding to World Vision for programs in the Palestinian Territories until the investigation is complete,” it said.
Australia has paid World Vision approximately A$5.7 million ($4.35 million) over the past three financial years for the provision of aid in the Palestinian Territories, a DFAT spokesman said.
-
Israel accuses World Vision’s Gaza representative of funding Hamas
Mohammad El Halabi was arrested by Israel on June 15 while crossing the border into the enclave News -
Israel extends detention without trial for Palestinian clown
Israel believes he is a member of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine News -
UK schoolgirl thanks supporters, slams abusers after pro-Palestine speech
Leanne Mohamad was accused by detractors for 'vicious blood libels against the state of Israel' after a video of her speech on Palestine Digital -
Israel denies permits to Gazans for Palestine marathon
The marathon takes place on Friday and will see thousands of people start running from near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank Sports