Funds raised by the treasurer of the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society among members of the Islamic Movement in Umm el-Fahm and other locations in Israel, and transferred to Hamas in Bethlehem [1998]
Translation
Palestinian National Authority
Preventive Security Headquarters
Bethlehem Directorate
In the name of Allah the all-merciful
To: Brother Major [Ra’ed] Ibrahim [Muhammad Mahmoud] Ramadan [high-ranking PPS officer in Bethlehem], may Allah preserve him Blessings of the homeland, and to the matter at hand,
In re: Meetings between Hamas activists within Area 481 for the sake of raising contributions
Information passed along to us from one of [our] sources in the Hamas movement regarding ways of raising money for the movement in Bethlehem:
Ahmad Muhammad ‘Abdallah al-Sharuf2 [known as a Hamas activist], a Bethlehem resident at Umm al-Ji’ah, is the owner of Al-Nubani furniture store. He does business in the following manner: he customarily goes from place to place, especially in Area 48 [i.e., Israel] and especially to Umm el-Fahm. At Umm el-Fahm he usually meets Al-Haj ‘Abd al-Latif, in charge of the Islamic Movement there and head of the Orphan and Prisoner Association.3
[Note: At the lower edge of the first page “Sector M” is written, referring to the Bethlehem sector, and the name of [Captain] Hamdi Abu Kamal.]
He usually meets him in Umm el-Fahm. Afterwards, al-Nubani [the furniture salesman], the treasurer of the [ Bethlehem] Orphan Care Society, turns the money over to the Hamas movement.
Al-Nubani maintains close contact with sheikh Ghassan Harmass [head of the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society], one of Hamas’ most prominent activists [in Bethlehem] . The two organize visits for relatives of Hamas prisoners and aid them. Al-Nubani organizes meetings of high-ranking [members of Hamas] at his home in Bethlehem.
As is known, the process of registering the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society at the [Palestinian Authority] Ministry of the Interior has not yet been completed as of July 21, 1998.
Note : Usually contributions for [organizations] like the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society are not collected.
For your perusal,
[Signature]
Lieutenant Amjad [Hashem] Jaber [PPS officer in Bethlehem]
Preventive Security Headquarters / Bethlehem [Directorate] / For continued follow-up
[Hand-written addition in the margin of the first page:]
Bethlehem Sector (?)
1. Area 48: a designation for pre-1967 Israeli territory.
2. Ahmad Mahmoud ‘Abdallah al-Sharuf is a Hamas activist and assistant director of the Bethlehem Orphan Care Society (second in command after Dr. Ghassan Harmass). At least two of his sons are known Hamas terrorist-operatives.
3. Possibly a reference to an activist in the Orphan and Prisoner Association in Umm el-Fahm which was closed by Israel in 1996.
Original Document
