Israeli Court Sentences Gaza Charity Director To 12 Years In Prison Gauze

Ignoring UN concerns about a lack of evidence in the six-year-old case, the district court in the southern city of Beersheba said Mohammad el Halabi, who was Gaza director for World Vision International, should serve six years in prison considering the removal of the amount withheld during the trial. Palestinians, human rights groups and aid workers claim the lengthy trial, much of it held behind closed doors, is part of a broad Israeli effort to undermine vital aid and civil society groups in the occupied West Bank and Strip. Gaza. World Vision responded that it would continue to support Halabi through an appeal to Israel’s highest court and warned of a “chilling effect” on aid disbursements due to Israeli actions. After his arrest in 2016, Israeli authorities alleged that Halabi had funneled tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, the militant group that rules the impoverished coastal enclave and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. But investigations by his employer, independent auditors and the Australian government, a donor, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch condemned the conviction, saying Halabi was held for six years based on “secret evidence that dismissed many investigations, making a mockery of due process.” In June, Halabi was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, financing terrorist activity “transferring information to the enemy” and possessing a weapon. He had rejected repeated Israeli offers for a deal that would have allowed him to remain free based on time served, including one just two weeks before the verdict, his lawyer, Maher Hanna, said. Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza City, said behind the trial and conviction was a “systematic Israeli smear campaign against civil society and groups that help the Palestinian people” in the West Bank and Gaza. This, he argued, can also be seen in the illegal banning of six Palestinian civil society groups in the West Bank on the grounds that they were fronts for terrorism. EU countries ruled that Israel had failed to prove this claim, but undeterred, Israeli forces recently raided and closed their offices in Ramallah. “Israel is trying to discredit it with accusations of terrorism and to cause a drain on funding from donors,” Sourani said. World Vision, in a statement, said the trial and conviction would harm efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. “The arrest, the six-year trial, the unjust verdict and this sentence are emblematic actions that hinder humanitarian work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It adds to the chilling impact on World Vision and other aid or development groups working to help the Palestinians.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Israel’s foreign ministry did not directly respond to allegations that the trial was not conducted properly. It said in a statement: “Any diversion of humanitarian funds for terrorist purposes is a reprehensible act committed against the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Israel will continue to use the tools at its disposal to prevent such crimes and hold Hamas and other terrorist groups accountable for their perpetration.” The ministry added that Israel recognized the importance of humanitarian work in Gaza and pledged to work with groups including World Vision “in a manner consistent with security considerations and international standards.”

title: “Israeli Court Sentences Gaza Charity Director To 12 Years In Prison Gauze Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-17” author: “Karen Owens”

Ignoring UN concerns about a lack of evidence in the six-year-old case, the district court in the southern city of Beersheba said Mohammad el Halabi, who was Gaza director for World Vision International, should serve six years in prison considering the removal of the amount withheld during the trial. Palestinians, human rights groups and aid workers claim the lengthy trial, much of it held behind closed doors, is part of a broad Israeli effort to undermine vital aid and civil society groups in the occupied West Bank and Strip. Gaza. World Vision responded that it would continue to support Halabi through an appeal to Israel’s highest court and warned of a “chilling effect” on aid disbursements due to Israeli actions. After his arrest in 2016, Israeli authorities alleged that Halabi had funneled tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, the militant group that rules the impoverished coastal enclave and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. But investigations by his employer, independent auditors and the Australian government, a donor, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch condemned the conviction, saying Halabi was held for six years based on “secret evidence that dismissed many investigations, making a mockery of due process.” In June, Halabi was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, financing terrorist activity “transferring information to the enemy” and possessing a weapon. He had rejected repeated Israeli offers for a deal that would have allowed him to remain free based on time served, including one just two weeks before the verdict, his lawyer, Maher Hanna, said. Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza City, said behind the trial and conviction was a “systematic Israeli smear campaign against civil society and groups that help the Palestinian people” in the West Bank and Gaza. This, he argued, can also be seen in the illegal banning of six Palestinian civil society groups in the West Bank on the grounds that they were fronts for terrorism. EU countries ruled that Israel had failed to prove this claim, but undeterred, Israeli forces recently raided and closed their offices in Ramallah. “Israel is trying to discredit it with accusations of terrorism and to cause a drain on funding from donors,” Sourani said. World Vision, in a statement, said the trial and conviction would harm efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. “The arrest, the six-year trial, the unjust verdict and this sentence are emblematic actions that hinder humanitarian work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It adds to the chilling impact on World Vision and other aid or development groups working to help the Palestinians.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Israel’s foreign ministry did not directly respond to allegations that the trial was not conducted properly. It said in a statement: “Any diversion of humanitarian funds for terrorist purposes is a reprehensible act committed against the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Israel will continue to use the tools at its disposal to prevent such crimes and hold Hamas and other terrorist groups accountable for their perpetration.” The ministry added that Israel recognized the importance of humanitarian work in Gaza and pledged to work with groups including World Vision “in a manner consistent with security considerations and international standards.”

title: “Israeli Court Sentences Gaza Charity Director To 12 Years In Prison Gauze Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-29” author: “Christine Rosales”

Ignoring UN concerns about a lack of evidence in the six-year-old case, the district court in the southern city of Beersheba said Mohammad el Halabi, who was Gaza director for World Vision International, should serve six years in prison considering the removal of the amount withheld during the trial. Palestinians, human rights groups and aid workers claim the lengthy trial, much of it held behind closed doors, is part of a broad Israeli effort to undermine vital aid and civil society groups in the occupied West Bank and Strip. Gaza. World Vision responded that it would continue to support Halabi through an appeal to Israel’s highest court and warned of a “chilling effect” on aid disbursements due to Israeli actions. After his arrest in 2016, Israeli authorities alleged that Halabi had funneled tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, the militant group that rules the impoverished coastal enclave and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. But investigations by his employer, independent auditors and the Australian government, a donor, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch condemned the conviction, saying Halabi was held for six years based on “secret evidence that dismissed many investigations, making a mockery of due process.” In June, Halabi was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, financing terrorist activity “transferring information to the enemy” and possessing a weapon. He had rejected repeated Israeli offers for a deal that would have allowed him to remain free based on time served, including one just two weeks before the verdict, his lawyer, Maher Hanna, said. Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza City, said behind the trial and conviction was a “systematic Israeli smear campaign against civil society and groups that help the Palestinian people” in the West Bank and Gaza. This, he argued, can also be seen in the illegal banning of six Palestinian civil society groups in the West Bank on the grounds that they were fronts for terrorism. EU countries ruled that Israel had failed to prove this claim, but undeterred, Israeli forces recently raided and closed their offices in Ramallah. “Israel is trying to discredit it with accusations of terrorism and to cause a drain on funding from donors,” Sourani said. World Vision, in a statement, said the trial and conviction would harm efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. “The arrest, the six-year trial, the unjust verdict and this sentence are emblematic actions that hinder humanitarian work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It adds to the chilling impact on World Vision and other aid or development groups working to help the Palestinians.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Israel’s foreign ministry did not directly respond to allegations that the trial was not conducted properly. It said in a statement: “Any diversion of humanitarian funds for terrorist purposes is a reprehensible act committed against the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Israel will continue to use the tools at its disposal to prevent such crimes and hold Hamas and other terrorist groups accountable for their perpetration.” The ministry added that Israel recognized the importance of humanitarian work in Gaza and pledged to work with groups including World Vision “in a manner consistent with security considerations and international standards.”

title: “Israeli Court Sentences Gaza Charity Director To 12 Years In Prison Gauze Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-19” author: “Leon Reinhardt”

Ignoring UN concerns about a lack of evidence in the six-year-old case, the district court in the southern city of Beersheba said Mohammad el Halabi, who was Gaza director for World Vision International, should serve six years in prison considering the removal of the amount withheld during the trial. Palestinians, human rights groups and aid workers claim the lengthy trial, much of it held behind closed doors, is part of a broad Israeli effort to undermine vital aid and civil society groups in the occupied West Bank and Strip. Gaza. World Vision responded that it would continue to support Halabi through an appeal to Israel’s highest court and warned of a “chilling effect” on aid disbursements due to Israeli actions. After his arrest in 2016, Israeli authorities alleged that Halabi had funneled tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, the militant group that rules the impoverished coastal enclave and is considered a terrorist organization by Israel and Western countries. But investigations by his employer, independent auditors and the Australian government, a donor, found no evidence of wrongdoing. Human Rights Watch condemned the conviction, saying Halabi was held for six years based on “secret evidence that dismissed many investigations, making a mockery of due process.” In June, Halabi was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization, financing terrorist activity “transferring information to the enemy” and possessing a weapon. He had rejected repeated Israeli offers for a deal that would have allowed him to remain free based on time served, including one just two weeks before the verdict, his lawyer, Maher Hanna, said. Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza City, said behind the trial and conviction was a “systematic Israeli smear campaign against civil society and groups that help the Palestinian people” in the West Bank and Gaza. This, he argued, can also be seen in the illegal banning of six Palestinian civil society groups in the West Bank on the grounds that they were fronts for terrorism. EU countries ruled that Israel had failed to prove this claim, but undeterred, Israeli forces recently raided and closed their offices in Ramallah. “Israel is trying to discredit it with accusations of terrorism and to cause a drain on funding from donors,” Sourani said. World Vision, in a statement, said the trial and conviction would harm efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. “The arrest, the six-year trial, the unjust verdict and this sentence are emblematic actions that hinder humanitarian work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It adds to the chilling impact on World Vision and other aid or development groups working to help the Palestinians.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Israel’s foreign ministry did not directly respond to allegations that the trial was not conducted properly. It said in a statement: “Any diversion of humanitarian funds for terrorist purposes is a reprehensible act committed against the Palestinian residents of Gaza. Israel will continue to use the tools at its disposal to prevent such crimes and hold Hamas and other terrorist groups accountable for their perpetration.” The ministry added that Israel recognized the importance of humanitarian work in Gaza and pledged to work with groups including World Vision “in a manner consistent with security considerations and international standards.”