Islamic Relief investigates Hamas funding allegations
Islamic Relief will refuse all donations received from the Disasters Emergency Committee’s appeal for Gaza, while it carries out an investigation into Israeli accusations that it has ties to Hamas, writes Daniella Reyhanian.
The DEC is comprised of 13 aid organisations including Islamic Relief, which has been banned in Israel due to alleged ties with the Palestinian terrorist organisation. In June, Israel’s defence minister Moshe Yaalon branded Islamic Relief “an unauthorised association” and empowered authorities to seize funds the group sends to Gaza.
A spokesman for Islamic Relief told Jewish News: “Islamic Relief Worldwide is a purely humanitarian organisation and categorically denies Moshe Yaalon’s allegations. No organisation is investigating Islamic Relief Worldwide as a result of these allegations, and no financial institution has closed any of our accounts. Islamic Relief has never had a Charities Aid Foundation bank account.
“As a responsible organisation we are looking into this matter thoroughly to ensure that our processes for aid delivery have been followed. Islamic Relief decided independently that it will not draw down any funds from the DEC Gaza Crisis Appeal until our review is completed.”
A DEC spokesman told this newspaper: “Members of the Disasters Emergency Committee hold themselves and each other to the highest humanitarian standards. No member agency could accept the diversion of aid funds either for political purposes or to fund any armed group.
“Any such diversion would constitute an extremely serious breach of their principles, policies and procedures as well as the DEC’s Islamic Relief Worldwide is surprised and very concerned about allegations by the Israeli government that it has linked to Hamas and is urgently investigating these claims.
“The DEC is in close contact with Islamic Relief about the allegations and is awaiting the conclusion of their investigation. Islamic Relief has chosen not to draw down any DEC funds until its investigation is concluded.
Last month Jewish community leaders reacted angrily to the Jewish Chronicle’s decision to run the DEC advert for Gaza, featuring Islamic Relief in the wake of the Israel boycott.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
