However, as part of his job, Halaby had the power to sign off on budgets for World Vision projects – and he took advantage of that, officials said, siphoning off almost $10 million to fund Hamas terror projects, including the network of underground tunnels the terror group has been trying to build to enable its terrorists to get into Israel.
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Global aid group World Vision’s Gaza director has been detained by Israeli authorities on suspicion of funneling tens of millions of dollars from the charity to the military wing of the Islamist Palestinian group Hamas, Israeli daily Haaretz and the Associated Press report. During its investigation, the Shin Bet said El-Halabi admitted to being a member of Hamas since his youth and said he had received military training in the early 2000s.
The Shin Bet revealed that it had arrested Mohammad el- Halabi, the director of World Vision’s Gaza branch, in June.
Since 2008, Israel has fought three wars in Gaza with Hamas, which is branded a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.
“Based on the information available to us at this time, we have no reason to believe that the allegations are true”, it said in a statement. He said the group had “no connection to (el-Halabi) and therefore, all Israeli accusations are void and aim to suppress our people”.
World Vision, is among the largest Christian charities in the world and receives considerable funding from the United Nations and western governments. The ministry of defense meanwhile announced that it doesn’t know of any instances of companies refusing to work with Israel due to political considerations on this manner.
The UN said it was “aware of the very serious allegations” and would be following the case.
Israel said the charges were proof that Hamas did not respect the neutrality of aid agencies.
Mordechai was due to meet World Vision’s president Thursday evening to present him with the findings.
Halabi was recruited in 2004 by Hamas’ main militia, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, with the goal of infiltrating World Vision.
“Money was used to fund Hamas and pay armed wing fighters, and food and health packs intended for Gaza residents were also given to Hamas operatives, rather than to their intended recipients, the poor and meek of Gaza”, the official said. He was charged with transferring funds and working with a terror group.
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“It is well-documented that Hamas uses income to build up its military capability, including the construction of tunnels which have been used to launch terror attacks within Israel”, said Board of Deputies’ vice-president Richard Verber.
