Palestinian terrorist-linked fundraiser barred from accepting credit cards following Washington Examiner report
Exclusive: Gaza Fundraiser Linked to Terrorist Group No Longer Accepts Credit Card Donations
A Gaza fundraiser that was supporting a terrorist group designated by Israel has been forced to stop accepting credit card donations. This comes after multiple reports from the Washington Examiner, which led to Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, criticizing credit card processor Stripe for allowing its services to be used by the Spanish Bizilur Association for Cooperation and Development of Peoples. The association was running the “#StopGazaStarvation Gaza Relief Campaign” in partnership with the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, which Israel has identified as an “arm” of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a U.S.-designated terrorist faction. However, after legal experts warned that Stripe could be providing “material support” to the PFLP, the company quietly withdrew from the fundraiser.
GOP Lawmakers Demand Stripe to Cut Ties with Terrorist-Linked Fundraiser
This development, which has not been previously reported, highlights the increasing pressure on payment processors to avoid any association, even indirectly, with Hamas or other terrorist factions. According to Israeli officials, the recent Hamas-led attack has resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people in Israel. In late November, PayPal also closed an account for the Union of Agricultural Work Committees fundraiser after receiving letters from the pro-Israel watchdog Zachor Legal Institute, which threatened to involve the IRS and Treasury Department due to their connections with the terrorist-tied initiative.
Despite these actions, a Spanish company called Laboral Kuxta still appears to be allowing Bizilur to accept wire transfers through a bank account for the fundraiser.
The Union of Agricultural Work Committees, leading the Gaza fundraising campaign, was identified as the PFLP’s ”agricultural” arm in a 1993 report. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express reportedly prohibited the UAWC from using their services in 2018, a year before two of its staffers were charged for their involvement in a PFLP terrorist cell and a roadside bombing that resulted in the death of an Israeli teenager.
Bashir al Khairi, a former leader of the PFLP, used to be the president of the UAWC’s board of trustees. The PFLP was one of the Palestinian terrorist factions involved in the October 7 attack.
“As we, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, spearhead this international campaign, we are joined by a coalition of partners and allies worldwide,” states the Gaza fundraiser’s website. “Their engagement in this campaign amplifies our call, aiming to turn the tide of suffering into a wave of support. The use of starvation by the Israeli occupation as a weapon in its deplorable warfare against 2.3 million Palestinians is an affront to humanity, demanding global action to expose and hold accountable those responsible.”
On Monday, members of Congress called on Stripe to sever ties with the fundraiser. Rep. Greg Murphy expressed his concern about the funding of terrorist activities and emphasized the need for aggressive solutions to combat it. Murphy is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which held a hearing on foreign terrorist financing through U.S. charities in November.
The UAWC’s fundraiser website accuses Israel of ”genocide” and an “ethnic cleansing campaign in the West Bank.” The UAWC has received millions of dollars in grants from various countries and organizations, including the European Union, United Nations, Norway, France, and Italy, according to the Israeli NGO Monitor watchdog group.
The UAWC, established by the PFLP, has been criticized for its ties to the faction. The Dutch government decided in 2022 to stop granting funds to the UAWC due to individual connections between its staff and board members and the PFLP.
Stripe declined to comment on the matter.
Despite the actions taken by PayPal and credit card companies, why is there still concern about the effectiveness of current measures in preventing the financial support of terrorist activities in relation to the Bizilur Association’s fundraising campaign
N the past due to their ties to terrorism. However, credit card processor Stripe initially did not take any action against the fundraising campaign until the recent reports and pressure from Republican lawmakers.
The criticism from GOP lawmakers, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, comes as no surprise. There has been a growing concern among U.S. officials and pro-Israel activists about the financing of terrorist activities, particularly those directed towards Israel. This concern has led to increased scrutiny of payment processors and their involvement with organizations linked to terrorist groups.
The Bizilur Association for Cooperation and Development of Peoples, in partnership with the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, was running the “#StopGazaStarvation Gaza Relief Campaign”. However, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, which was identified as an “arm” of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a U.S.-designated terrorist faction, raised alarm bells.
Legal experts argued that by allowing its services to be used by the Gaza fundraiser, Stripe could potentially be providing ”material support” to the PFLP. This prompted the company to quietly withdraw from the fundraising campaign. The move highlights the increasing pressure on payment processors to sever any ties, even indirect ones, with organizations linked to terrorism.
This is not the first time such action has been taken against a fundraising campaign associated with terrorist activities. In late November, PayPal closed an account for the Union of Agricultural Work Committees fundraiser after receiving letters from the pro-Israel watchdog Zachor Legal Institute. The institute threatened to involve the IRS and Treasury Department due to the connections between the fundraiser and terrorist-tied initiatives.
Despite these actions, it has been discovered that Laboral Kuxta, a Spanish company, is still allowing Bizilur to accept wire transfers through a bank account for the fundraising campaign. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of current measures in preventing the financial support of terrorist activities.
Visa, Mastercard, and American Express had previously prohibited the Union of Agricultural Work Committees from using their services due to its ties to terrorism. It is crucial for payment processors to remain vigilant and ensure that their services are not exploited for nefarious purposes.
As the world continues to grapple with the threat of terrorism, it is imperative that financial institutions, including payment processors, implement robust measures to prevent terrorist organizations from accessing funds. Governments, watch groups, and financial institutions must work together to identify and cut off financial support for terrorist activities. By doing so, we can help dismantle their networks and protect innocent lives from harm.
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