Western Allies Complain to Israel Over Lack of Info About Alleged Transfer of Aid Funds to Hamas
Source: Haaretz
Diplomats say Israel is more interested in creating 'public diplomacy buzz' than resolving case of World Vision's Mohammed El Halabi, whom Israel accuses of diverting millions of dollars to Islamist group in Gaza.
Some of Israel’s key allies have complained to the Foreign Ministry about not receiving any intelligence or evidence about the World Vision manager in Gaza whom Israel suspects of transferring millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to Hamas.
Western diplomats told Haaretz that Israel’s behavior in the affair is creating the impression that the government is interested in creating a “public diplomacy buzz,” rather than any real attempt to resolve the matter.
“The Israelis’ priorities in this affair are very strange,” said one Western diplomat, who asked to remain anonymous, citing the diplomatic sensitivity of the story. “Israel’s conduct is very disappointing.”
On August 4, the Shin Bet security service announced the arrest of Mohammad El Halabi, World Vision’s Gaza zonal manager. The Shin Bet claimed that, for six years, Halabi served as a Hamas agent inside the Christian aid organization. During this time, it alleged, he diverted millions of dollars of donations from Western governments to Hamas, which the Islamist group then used for building tunnels and manufacturing weaponry in Gaza.
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