Attorney General Eric Holder
Below is a copy of a letter from Michael A. Salberg of the Anti-Defamation League to Attorney General Eric Holder. It concerns British MP George Galloway's Viva Palestina drive to gather money and supplies for Gaza. While I am not qualified to comment on the details contained in Mr Salberg's letter, I can state as an eyewitness that on May 21, Galloway spoke at UC-Irvine and that during his appearance, boxes were passed around to receive cash contributions from the audience. It seems logical to me that the Justice Department check into this matter.
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May 14, 2009
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General of the United States
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Dear Attorney General Holder:
We are writing to bring to your attention our concerns about the US-based organization Viva Palestina US and to urge the Justice Department to investigate reports of fundraising by th is organization for the purpose of providing material support to Hamas.
Viva Palestina US is being promoted by British Member of Parliament, George Galloway, who led a March 9, 2009 convoy of trucks loaded with supplies which were delivered to Hamas in Gaza together with a substantial amount of cash.
According to reports, the initial “Viva Palestina” effort raised in excess of one million British pounds and included 100 vehicles presented to Hamas authorities. At a press conference in Gaza announcing the donations, Galloway openly stated: “We are giving you now 100 vehicles and all of their contents, and we make no apology for what I am about to say. We are giving them to the elected government of Palestine.” Galloway also is reported to have personally donated three cars and ₤25,000 to Hamas, met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and indicated that he was given a Palestinian passport. A March 24, 2009, article in the Guardian UK reported that the UK Charity Commission is currently investigating Viva Palestina. Viva Palestina’s Facebook group page confirms that its bank accounts have been frozen.
During a recent US speaking tour, George Galloway urged American activists to organize a Viva Palestina convoy of their own. On the last stop of his tour in Anaheim on April 7, 2009, Galloway announced that plans for a Viva Palestina US convoy were underway. There, he reportedly encouraged his audience to contribute to Viva Palestina US to enlarge the original effort, stating for example:
It’s very easy for you. If I can raise 2 million you can raise 10 million. If I can raise 110 vehicles you can raise 500 vehicles. 500 trucks flying American flags would be quite a site going into Gaza.
The Viva Palestina US convoy is set to travel to Egypt on July 4, 2009, to purchase materials and to enter Gaza on July 7. According to their web site, organizers hope to bring 500 vehicles and $10 million to Gaza.
In furtherance of this activity, Viva Palestina US announced today on its website that the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (“IFCO”), a New York-based organization seeking “to advance the struggles of oppressed people for justice and self-determination,” is acting as Viva Palestina US’s “tax free fiscal agent” and that checks should be made payable to “IFCO – Viva Palestina.”
Notably, Mr. Galloway was scheduled to make several stops in Canada during this trip to North America but was denied entry on the grounds that he had provided material support to Hamas. Mr. Galloway is now scheduled to speak at a number of locations in the United States beginning May 17, 2009, and we expect that he will use these engagements to urge contributions to Viva Palestina US.
For your reference, we have attached a list of Mr. Galloway’s planned speaking engag ements, as well as other information relating to Viva Palestina US in the United States.
We know the Department of Justice takes seriously its role to prevent the United States from being used as a base for fundraising and support for designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and we urge you to promptly pursue this matter.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with any additional information.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Salberg
Director, International Affairs
Anti-Defamation League
6 comments:
Faceless,
First of all, you could make your points in a better way without the four-letter words. They indicate that there isn't much going on in your logic.
As I stated in the posting, I am not qualified to address the charges made in the letter. However, if there is any possiblity that Galloway is collecting funds to give to Hamas (which the US Govt has designated as a terrorist organization) than it seems reasonable that the Justic e Department look into it. Whether this Justice Dept will do so is highly questionable.
Your comment explains why you write under the title of faceless. Smart move.
Faceless ehoes my sentiments and many of us sick of the lie that anti Zionism is anti Semitism.
My post, however, is not anonymous.
Zionists are increasing their rabid desperation to point to Hamas rather than their own terrorism.
Good or bad Hamas was elected in an internationally monitored free election and the voters are now being brutalized for choosing wrong.
Is Hamas a terrorist organization? It's labeled so by the Israel rogue regime that committed war crimes and supported by the war mongers in the U.S. and the puppets in Canada.
Remember that Nelson Mandella was on the terror watch list of the United States and could not visit the U.S. without a special waiver. They took Mandella off the list when he was 90 years old. Was the aging Mandella a terrorist?
To anonymous,
I have rejected your comment because it is vile and drags in an innocent person who has nothing to do with what I do.
I was not even aware of what you describe and if it happened, I condemn it.
As for your comment about someone being a Jew, it shows that there is, indeed, a serious undertone of anti-Jew hatred in your movement. I assure you that the Allah to whom you refer does not share your feelings of hatred toward any of His children.
Thanks for confirming my suspicions and thanks also for not signing your name. It just goes to show how certain people slink in the gutters "anonymously".
Unlike me, who signs everything he writes, you don't have the courage to attach your name to the filth you write.
Mr Hawke,
I respect the fact that you put your name on your comment. Your points are deserving of a serious response.
You are correct that the people of Gaza elected Hamas. Yet, Hamas is considered and designated a terrorist organization by the US govt as well. It might have something to do with sending suicide bombers to blow themselves up on buses and in pizza parlors. It also might have something to do with their lobbing of rockets into Israel, which continues to this day. Remember that the Hamas charter specifically states that treaties and negotiations are pointless. They want all of "Palestine" with the Jews gone. I choose to believe that Gazans are being penalized for having a govt that is trying to destroy the Israli state through violence and terror thus leading to conflict.
Is criticism of Israel- anti-Semitism? Your point is well taken. I would say not necessarily, but trust me, there is an undertone of anti-Jew hatred behind this. It is the refusal to tolerate a tiny Jewish state in the Middle East that is behind this. Were the Israeli to all convert to Islam, I suspect the issue would disappear. Here in the US, we are seeing more and more pro-Palestinian demonstrators shouting anti-Semitic chants like "Long Live Hitler". That has nothing to do with opposing Israel.
Was Nelson Mandela a terrorist?
The fight to end apartheid was just, but that question can only be answered by this: Was Mandela actually involved in bombing sites that resulted in the deaths of people or not? That is what he was imprisoned for. Was it true? I have no idea.
Findalis,
You should have seen the one I rejected. This Zionism business has me puzzled I must admit. It seems to me that a Zionist is a Jew living in Israel or any person who thinks Israel has a right to exist. If so, I guess that makes me a Zionist. I agree with you that Zionist is a code word that allows people to vent against Jews and think they are cleaning up their language. It is interesting that the radicals are not interested ina 2 state solution. They want one state (Palestine) with the Muslims in charge. They may not say it, but they want to see the Jews gone.
Mob rule indeed. Instaed of taking care of providing an infrastructure, Hamas concentrates on lobbing missiles into Israel. Israel closes the border to cut off bombers and terrorists then Hamas complains about not having supplies. Gaza is run by Palestinians. There are no Israelis in Gaza. They should stop complaining and start running their hell-hole.
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