Two nonprofits affiliated with Israeli MK Mansour Abbas's Ra’am (United Arab List) party, the Islamic Association for Orphans and the Needy (also known as "Aid 48") and the Association for Humanitarian Actions, are set to be dissolved following allegations of terror financing. This decision was announced by the Corporations Authority after a Justice Ministry investigation suggested that these groups might have transferred funds to or cooperated with declared terrorist organizations outside Israel.
Both organizations, linked to the southern branch of Israel's Islamic Movement, were given until May 6 to contest the liquidation proceedings in court. This move coincides with the freezing of one of the nonprofits’ accounts by Bank Leumi, following concerns about transactions linked to Hamas, as stated by a bank attorney to the Kan public broadcaster.
Israeli authorities are moving to dissolve two non-profit organizations associated with the Ra’am political party over funds being transferred to terror organizations.https://t.co/9E6hMdbFPa
— World Israel News (@worldisraelnews) April 16, 2024
Ra’am has countered these allegations, accusing the Netanyahu government of political persecution and attempting to divert attention from its own purported support of Hamas, particularly highlighting the government's controversial handling of cash transfers to Hamas-controlled areas.
The dissolution of these nonprofits has been seized upon by far-right Israeli political figures as validation of their longstanding accusations against Ra’am and Abbas of having ties to terrorism. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and others have expressed their vindication over these developments, especially given Ra’am’s controversial role in the Bennett-Lapid government from June 2021 to December 2022.
Israel Moving to Dissolve Ra'am-Affiliated NGOs Over Terror Funding Israeli authorities are moving to dissolve two non-profit organizations associated with the Ra’am political party over funds being transferred to terror organizations, the Israel Corporations Authority… pic.twitter.com/NTE8ClpHyd
— TPS - Israel's News Agency (@TPS_News_co_il) April 16, 2024
Despite the allegations, Ra’am and its leader, Mansour Abbas, have taken notable stances that seem to challenge the conventional alignment of their base. Abbas has explicitly recognized Israel as a Jewish state and has called for Arab Israelis to lead in the rebuilding of synagogues damaged during civil unrest. He has also publicly condemned acts of violence by Hamas and advocated for a demilitarized, peaceful approach to establishing a Palestinian state.
In reaction to the closure news, Aid 48 defended its compliance with the law, stating that it had only been requested by the Registrar of Associations to clarify certain issues, which they are prepared to address fully.
Ra'am Party leader MK Mansour Abbas rejected the claim that the State of Israel was guilty of the crime of apartheid within its sovereign borders.
— Chris Korn 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🎗 (@cwkorn) April 10, 2024
(Ra'am is one of the several Arab political parties of Israel's Parliament, the Knesset.)
https://t.co/LAtLGsVCHT
This unfolding scenario underscores the complexity and heated nature of Israeli politics, where the intersection of humanitarian aid, political affiliations, and national security concerns frequently sparks controversy and conflict, reflecting deeper societal divisions and the challenging balance between security and civil liberties.
