Israel says it has closed 30 fundraising accounts of boycott-backing nonprofits with links to terrorism

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Thirty fundraising accounts associated with nonprofit organizations that promote boycotts of Israel have been shut down in the past two years, according to Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs.

The accounts — 20 in Europe and 10 in the United States — were closed largely as a result of the ministry revealing direct ties shared between the organizations and terrorist groups or operatives. The ministry said in a statement that the closures came as the result of an undisclosed campaign by itself and pro-Israel organizations.

These were some of the organizations that saw their accounts shuttered:

• The Ramallah-based BDS National Committee, a coalition of Palestinian organizations and associations that includes the terror groups Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Hamas and Islamic Jihad;
• Al Haq, which promotes boycotts of Israel and is headed by a former senior member of the PFLP who has been jailed for terrorist activity; and
• Interpal, which has ties to Hamas.

“For years, boycott promoters have disguised themselves as ‘human rights activists,’ managing to raise tens of millions of euros from Western countries and citizens who thought they were contributing to causes supporting justice and equality,” Gilad Erdan, who is leading the ministry in the interim government, said in a statement. “Over time though, we have revealed that the supposed ‘human rights’ NGOs are in reality filled with anti-Semitic operatives with deep ties to terrorist groups fixated on destroying the State of Israel.

“As a result of our actions, countries and financial institutions are now distancing themselves from these organizations. Our efforts have drastically undermined the boycott campaign, leading to it having much less finances to operate, and barred from receiving financial services.”