J Street Calls for Treasury Investigation Into Settlement Charities

[Jefferson23]

Posted: Jul 13, 2010



J Street is calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to launch an investigation into whether American charities that fund Israeli settlement activity have broken the law. A recent New York Times report revealed a connection between an American organization that fundraises for Israeli political activity and "a former executive director of the banned Israeli political party Kahane Chai." Kahane Chai was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1994.

Moreover, these tax-exempt organizations are working to undermine a two-state solution by deepening the occupation. Some even fund settlement outposts that the Israeli government considers illegal.

Click here to join J Street in calling on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to launch an investigation into whether these organizations broke the law.

With the explicit goal of undermining a two-state solution, many of these groups raise tax-deductible contributions from the United States to deepen the occupation in the Occupied Territories. Some even fund settlement outposts that the Israeli government considers illegal. Settlement activity over the Green Line is diminishing the chances of a two-state solution and endangering Israel's very future as a Jewish, democratic home. This isn't a question of whether or not these groups have the legal right to raise funds for causes they believe in. The question is whether or not they have broken the law.





http://www.jstreet.org/

[Jefferson23]

1. Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank

HAR BRACHA, West Bank — Twice a year, American evangelicals show up at a winery in this Jewish settlement in the hills of ancient Samaria to play a direct role in biblical prophecy, picking grapes and pruning vines.

Believing that Christian help for Jewish winemakers here in the occupied West Bank foretells Christ’s second coming, they are recruited by a Tennessee-based charity called HaYovel that invites volunteers “to labor side by side with the people of Israel” and “to share with them a passion for the soon coming jubilee in Yeshua, messiah.”

But during their visit in February the volunteers found themselves in the middle of the fight for land that defines daily life here. When the evangelicals headed into the vineyards, they were pelted with rocks by Palestinians who say the settlers have planted creeping grape vines on their land to claim it as their own. Two volunteers were hurt. In the ensuing scuffle, a settler guard shot a 17-year-old Palestinian shepherd in the leg.

“These people are filled with ideas that this is the Promised Land and their duty is to help the Jews,” said Izdat Said Qadoos of the neighboring Palestinian village. “It is not the Promised Land. It is our land.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/world/middleeast/06settle.html?_r=2


Tell Sec. Geithner: Investigate Now!
Sign here to tell Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to launch an investigation into whether American organizations funding settlement activities in the Occupied Territories have broken the law.

Dear Secretary Geithner --

Please launch an investigation into whether or not the organizations funding settlement activities in the Occupied Territories, including those named in a recent New York Times report, have broken the law.

The alleged links between the named organizations and former officials and donors associated with far-right Jewish groups that are classified as terrorist organizations by the United States provide a reasonable starting point for an investigation. Thank you for your consideration

http://action.jstreet.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2094

[Jefferson23]

2. Statement on US Tax-Exempt Organizations’ Funding of Settlement Activity

J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami issued the following statement today regarding American charitable organizations’ fundraising to support settlement activity in the occupied West Bank:

J Street calls on the United States Treasury Department and relevant Congressional bodies to launch thorough investigations into whether or not the organizations funding settlement activities on the West Bank named in today’s New York Times report have broken the law.

The alleged links between the named organizations and former officials and donors associated with far-right Jewish groups that are classified as terrorist organizations by the State Department provide a reasonable starting point for an investigation.

J Street reiterates our ongoing concern over the intention and impact of American organizations and individuals that fundraise for settlement activity over the Green Line, including for many outposts that even the Israeli government considers illegal. Ongoing settlement construction is diminishing the chances of a two-state solution and endangering Israel’s very future as a Jewish, democratic home. Funding such activity is both irresponsible and provocative.

http://www.jstreet.org/blog/?p=1162

[azurnoir]

3. I feel another letter from our legslators coming on

a nicely worded don't do it

[Jefferson23]

4. Could be, but I think J Street is hitting the internet with this as AIPAC

may be seen as over reaching if they call out for another letter. But who knows, I don't put anything past AIPAC.




Kick for anyone who hasn't signed the letter to Geithner yet.

http://action.jstreet.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_K...