Hamas is a significant beneficiary of “charitable” donations, funneled to it by overseas Islamist fund raising organisations such as the Holy Land Foundation, the Union of Good, and their associated European charities, some of which sue if you point out what they’re up to.
But that’s not enough. Hamas also nicks as much overseas aid as it can get its hands on, either to sell, to supply their own terrorists, or to enable it to present itself to impoverished Palestinians as their saviour and provider.
UNRWA has now complained about Hamas’ activities.
UNRWA Condemns Confiscation of Gaza Aid and Demands its Immediate Return
East Jerusalem, 4 February 2009
At 1430 on 3 February over 3,500 blankets and 406 food parcels were confiscated from a distribution store at Beach Camp in Gaza by police personnel. This took place after UNRWA staff had earlier refused to hand over the aid supplies to the Hamas-run Ministry of Social Affairs. The police subsequently broke into the warehouse and seized the aid by force. The aid was due to be distributed to five hundred families in the area.
UNRWA condemns in the strongest terms the confiscation of its aid supplies and has demanded that it is returned immediately. UNRWA has a strict system of monitoring aid delivery and ensuring that its assistance reaches only the intended beneficiaries. Our officials were on the ground overseeing the delivery of our aid and taking all possible steps to avoid its diversion.
For more information please contact:
Christopher Gunness
UNRWA Spokesperson
Mobile: +972-(0)54-240-2659
Office: +972-(0)2-589-0267
Sami Mshasha
UNRWA Arabic Spokesperson
Mobile: +972-(0)54-216-8295
Office: +972 (0)2-589-0724
The fact that UNRWA has started to raise a stink might, I suppose, mean that Hamas will give the aid back. Some of it at least.
We’ll have to wait and see.
UPDATE
According to Hamas, they didn’t steal the aid at all:
The Hamas Social Affairs Minister in Gaza, Ahmed al-Kurd, denied that members of the Islamist movement had removed aid from a UN building.
However, he said his ministry was in dispute with the UN relief agency about how aid should be distributed.
He accused the UN of giving aid to local groups with ties to Hamas opponents.
Because, obviously, Hamas’ political opponents should be starved in the brave new multiparty democracy that is Gaza.
