NGO Involvement in the Gaza Boat Flotilla
Charities, NGOs, and other groups claiming human rights and humanitarian aid goals have been deeply involved in the demonization of Israel. The “Free Gaza Flotilla” highlights this façade of morality exploited for this political warfare.
In particular, NGO Monitor notes:
- The flotilla was endorsed by EU-funded Israel Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD), EU- and European-funded Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR), NIF-funded Coalition of Women for Peace, European-funded Alternative Information Center (AIC), and Israeli groups New Profile, Bat Shalom, Yesh Gvul, and Zochrot.
- Jeff Halper, executive director of ICAHD, is on the board of advisors of the Free Gaza Movement.
- Turkish group IHH (Insani Yardim Vakfi) purchased three of the flotilla ships, including the Mavi Marmaris.
- IHH is a member of the Union of the Good, an umbrella of 50+ Islamic organizations, which was designated by the US government as “an organization created by Hamas leadership to transfer funds to the terrorist organization.” According to the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC), during Operation Defensive Shield the Union of the Good transferred money, via Hamas charities, to families of suicide bombers. (The ITIC report contains photos of IHH leaders embracing Haniyeh and Mashaal.)
- According to a Danish research institute, the Turkish authorities began investigating IHH in 1997, after receiving info that senior figures had purchased weapons from Islamic radicals. A Turkish raid on the organization’s bureau turned up weapons, explosives, and instructions for making IEDs.
- French counter-terrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere claimed that IHH maintained contact with Al-Qaeda in Milan and Algerian terrorists in Europe; recruited militants for fighting in Bosnia, Chechnya, and Afghanistan; and played a “central role” in the Al Qaida bomb plot targeting LAX airport.
- Other organizers include activists from the fringe International Solidarity Movement (ISM), such as Ewa Jaciewica, Kevin Clark, and Huwaida Arraf (ISM co-founder).
- In 2008, Defense Minister Ehud Barak signed an order outlawing IHH. An IHH representative, who operated in the West Bank in 2009 until he was deported to Turkey, continued to transfer money to Hamas-affiliated charities.
Click here for NGO Monitor analysis of NGO responses to the flotilla
For further information, see talkgaza.com