Appendix D
The transfer of funds from the Union of Good to the Hamas-affiliated Ramallah-Al-Bireh Al-Islah Charitable Society
Overview
15. Al-Islah Charitable Society in Ramallah’s activities in support of terrorism was described in its official bulleting for 2000, where it reported details about its various branches (henceforth “the 2002 Al-Islah report”).
16. For example, Muhyi al-Din Sharif, who until his death was one of the top wanted Hamas terrorists in the West Bank. During Operation Defensive Shield (April 2002) a document was found in the Society’s offices relating to the cost of rebuilding houses razed by the Israeli army. Almost all the houses on the list belonged to senior Hamas terrorists.
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| A receipt (in Hebrew) for a payment of 2,000 shekels for relatives of sheikh Muhammad Abu Tir, a high-ranking Hamas terrorist-operative imprisoned in Israel. It was found in the offices of Al-Islah Charitable Society in Ramallah during Operation Defensive Shield (April 2002) with similar receipts for other Hamas terrorists involved in attacks against Israel. |
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Jamal Muhammad Farah al-Tawil , founder and Chairman of the Society, uncle of a suicide bomber, was a senior Hamas activist in the West Bank and one of those deported to south Lebanon in December 1992 (currently – February 2005 – in prison). He was in constant contact with the Hamas leadership in Syria and Lebanon, regularly received funds for which he opened an account at the Arab Bank in Ramallah. In his interrogation he admitted to opening a branch of Al-Islah Charitable Society to provide legal cover for the transfers of Hamas funds (See below). He provided financial aid for imprisoned Hamas members and their families17 and transferred funds to those in charge of Hamas’ terrorist-operative infrastructure in Ramallah. When he was arrested he was replaced by Muhammad Omar Hamdan, a Hamas terrorist who was arrested by Israel. 17. According to a Palestinian Preventive Security document composed on February 15, 2001, and found during Operation Defensive Shield (April 2002), funds sent from Saudi Arabia to Hamas for prisoners were given exclusively to Hamas members, and the balance was hidden by Hamas. The situation was revealed when it became apparent at one of the prisons in Israel that some prisoners were receiving funds while others were not. |
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Palestinian terrorists in an Israeli jail holding a sign expressing thanks to Al-Islah Charitable Society, Ramallah, and to the Islamic Development Fund [Interpal] in London, for their support of “the unfortunate, the orphans and the imprisoned” (Al-Islah Charitable Society report, 2000). |
From Jamal al-Tawil’s sentencing, after a plea bargain had been reached and he had been given a three-year sentence plus a suspended sentence and fined 5,000 Israeli shekels (Military court file #3559/02, November 9, 2003): “The accused was convicted, having confessed to committing the crime of belonging to and being active in an illegal organization, and between 1997 and the time of his arrest, having been a member of Hamas. As such he met [a Hamas] emissary from abroad and received letters which he passed to a third party; that occurred on four occasions, and by doing so he was guilty of performing a service for an outlawed organization. The accused was also convicted of holding office in Hamas, when from 1997 until his arrest he served as chairman of the organization’s prisoners’ committee, and acted in that respect as detailed in the indictment. From 2000 on he served as chairman of Al-Islah Charitable Society, which also dealt with prisoners, and in the middle of 2001 was appointed local Hamas spokesman. The accused was in contact with senior members of the organization [Hamas]. Lastly, the accused was convicted of possessing weapons in contravention of Paragraph 53 (A) of [Israeli] Security Orders from March 2001 until his arrest being in possession of two pistols.” |
Appendix D (1)
Transfer of financial aid from the Union of Good to Al-Islah Charitable Society for summer camps18
18. From a document found in the offices of Al-Islah Charitable Society, Ramallah, on February 25, 2003.
Translation
In the name of Allah the all-merciful
UNION OF THE CHARITABLE SOCIETIES
Jerusalem , P.O. Box 19480 Tel./Fax. 6285870 |
[Emblem of the Union of the Charitable Societies] |
Union of the Charitable Societies Founded 1958 Jerusalem , P.O. Box 19480 Tel./Fax. 6285870 |
|
No.:
Date: |
No: ‘A/227-2001 Date: 26.9.2001 |
||
To: The chairman of Al-Islah Charitable Society, Ramallah
Union of Good Project
In re: Support for summer camps
May peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings
We thank you and all the supporting institutions for your contribution of one thousand (1000) dollars for the associations which joined the Union [of Charitable Societies], and which operated camps in their areas 19during the past summer vacation. The associations are:
1. The Muslim Youth Association, Al-Ram |
1,000 dollars |
2. Al-Jib Charitable Society, Al-Jib |
1,000 dollars |
3. Al-‘Issawiya Charitable Society, Al-‘Issawiya |
1,000 dollars |
4. The Palestinian Association for Development and Children, Kafar ‘Aqab |
1,000 dollars |
5. The Jericho Women’s Association, Jericho |
1,000 dollars |
6. The Beit Safafa Charitable Society, Beit Safafa |
500 dollars |
We hope the cooperation between the Union [of Charitable Societies] and your important associations will continue, and provide services and support for the groups which need them.
May peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings
[Signed]
‘Abd al-Rahim Barbar
Chairman of the Union of the Charitable Societies
Jerusalem
[Stamp of the Union of the Charitable Societies, Jerusalem district]
19. As noted, the summer camps serve as radical Islamic indoctrination centers, and sometimes as centers for semi-military training.
Appendix D (1)
Appendix D (2)
Transfer of financial aid from the Union of Good to Al-Islah Charitable Society for distribution to needy families
Translation
In the name of Allah the all-merciful
Union of Good Ramallah – Ramoun Commercial Center20 Telephone: 2966838 |
|
[UG emblem] Jerusalem |
The Hundred and One Day fund-raising drive to alleviate the distress of the Palestinian people and support for its firm resistance
Central/Western [West] Bank District
Date: 12.12.2001
[To]: The honorable brothers at Al-Islah Social Charitable Society – Jerusalem, may Allah bestow his generosity upon you
In re: Support of [Palestinian] produce
May peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and his blessings
Al-Islah Social Charitable Society – Ramallah, hereby informs you with great love that your institution has been granted the sum of $990 for the purchase of poultry to be distributed to needy families.
[The money] has been given by the Palestinian Fund for Relief and Development [i.e., Interpal] in Britain; Al-Aqsa Institution in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Denmark; Sanabil Al-Aqsa in Sweden; the Charitable Society for the Support of Palestine in France; and the Committee for the Support of Palestine in Switzerland [Note: All Executive Order-designated Hamas-affiliated funds and foundations which transfer financial contributions to Hamas’ civilian infrastructure in the PA-administered territories].
Yours very sincerely
The Union of Good fund-raising drive – Jerusalem
Coordinator of the Central Region
[Signature]
Note:
- We request a list of beneficiaries.
- We should receive it immediately, and the accounting will be done afterwards.
The Noon Center for Qur’an Studies The Society for Fostering Arab Women – Jerusalem The Sur-Baher Charity Committee – Jerusalem and other institutions |
The Society for the Care of Orphans and the Needy – Jericho Al-Huda Women’s Association – Al-Bireh The Islamic Union – Ramallah The Legacy Association -- Jerusalem |
Al-Islah Social Charitable Society -- Jerusalem Al-Islah Social Charitable Society -- Ramallah-Al-Bireh Al-Islah Social Charitable Society -- Jericho The Islamic Charitable Society -- Al-Bireh |
Note : The organizations appearing in the document’s lower margins are all Hamas-affiliated institutions belonging to its civilian infrastructure.
20. The building, located in Ramallah, houses the offices of Al-Islah Charitable Society as well as other Hamas-affiliated institutions.
Appendix D (2)
