Accusations that World Vision has been funding Hamas is just part of a 'political game', source claims
Charges that a Hamas supporter infiltrated the Christian organization World Vision to steer funds for its military wing in Gaza might only be Israel's political subterfuge, sources say.
A non-governmental organization staffer based in Israel cast doubts that the allegations hurled against Mohammed el Halabi, the international humanitarian aid group's operations manager in Gaza, could be possible considering the stringent accounting practices NGOs must follow.
"From personal experience I know the good work they are doing, and I think that's why it touches me personally; because you kind of feel that if an organization like that is attacked there's a greater political game behind the scenes," the staffer, who spoke in anonymity, told The Christian Post.
Employees of international relief organizations reportedly suspect that Israel's accusations aim to undermine its critical opponents.
Steve Haas, vice president and chief catalyst for World Vision U.S., posted an essay on the Lausanne movement last year that supporting Israel meant supporting "the largest and longest occupation of another people group in modern history, an oppressive Israeli legal system which [Archbishop Desmond] Tutu and many other church leaders have called 'apartheid on steroids.'"
Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz also reported last week that Palestinian sources noted two factors that possibly led to the groundless accusations. The first depicted a possible retaliation from a former World Vision employee whom Halabi previously fired. The second stemmed from the reports that Halabi might have been extorted to confess.
Halabi's attorney Mohammed Mahmoud pointed out that the fact that it took 55 days for the investigation proves the charges unsubstantial.
Israel's Shin Bet security service arrested Halabi June 15 but only announced the indictment Aug. 4. They accused Halabi of being a member of the Islamist militia Izzedin al-Qassam since 2004 and purposefully joined World Vision in order to funnel the money to the armed group. Halabi allegedly transferred up to US$50 million from the funds.
"World Vision's cumulative operating budget in Gaza for the past ten years was approximately US$22.5 million, which makes the alleged amount of up to US$50 million being diverted hard to reconcile," posted an online statement by World Vision International CEO Kevin Jenkins on Aug. 8.
He added that Halabi operated at a cap of US$15,000.