Published: 17 June 2022
Last updated: 5 March 2024
An Israeli court has founded Gazan aid worker Mohammed El Halabi guilty of funelling World Vision relief money to terrorism despite charity denial
El Halabi, the former head of the US-based charity World Vision’s Gaza office, was arrested in 2016 after being accused by Israel’s Shin Bet security service of transferring tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control inside the Gaza Strip. He has been held in pre-trial detention since.
Both he and World Vision have denied any wrongdoing. On Wednesday – more than 160 court sessions and six years later – the district court in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba found Halabi guilty on all but one of the terrorism charges against him, including membership of a terrorist organisation, financing terrorist activities, having “transmitted information to the enemy”, and possession of a weapon.
Sentencing is expected in the next few weeks. World Vision said Halabi would appeal against the ruling.
After Halabi’s arrest, his employer, independent auditors and the Australian government, a major World Vision donor, found no evidence of wrongdoing or diversion of funds.
READ MORE
Israeli court finds Gaza aid worker guilty of financing terrorism (Guardian)
Gazan aid worker convicted of embezzling millions for Hamas (Times of Israel)
Tim Costello: Guilty verdict against World Vision hero is a travesty of justice (SMH)
