Wendie Malick: Treasury Sanctions Hamas-Controlled Charities

Treasury Sanctions Hamas-Controlled Charities

The U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday it slapped sanctions on two Lebanon-based charities controlled by Hamas.

: Ahmad Gharabli/ Agence France-Presse/Getty Images; A Palestinian man shows the entrance of a charity foundation and sports center in east Jerusalem on Jan. 29, 2012, where Israeli police temporarily shut down for being suspected of serving as fronts for Hamas activity.

Al-Waqfiya and Al-Quds, both based in Beirut, exist to support the families of Hamas fighters and prisoners, and to raise money for programs and projects in the Palestinian territories intended to spread Hamas’s influence and control, Treasury said.
“The Treasury Department will continue to work to disrupt Hamas’s efforts to radicalize vulnerable communities and undermine regional stability,” said David Cohen, undersecretary of Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, in a statement.
Al-Waqfiya was previously slapped with sanctions in November 2008 for supporting Hamas. It was created by Hamas in 2000 to financially support the families of Hamas members, has been run by senior Hamas leadership for year and several top players in Hamas play a dominant role in the organization, Treasury said.
When delivering money to Gaza, Al-Waqfiya obscures the source of funds so donations appear as charity, Treasury said. However, Treasury said, portions of the funds sent by the charity have been used by Hamas military operatives and have financed the group’s infrastructure.
Al Quds was created in 2001 in Beirut by members of Hamas to raise funds for projects in Jerusalem through the cover of charity, and the entire operation is run by Hamas leaders, according to the Treasury Department. Several members of the Al Quds board of trustees are already under U.S. sanctions.

Treasury Sanctions Two Hamas-Controlled Charities

10/4/2012

Actions Target Lebanon-based Al-Waqfiya and Al-Quds Charities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated two Lebanon-based charities controlled by Hamas. Al-Waqfiya Al-Ri’aya Al-Usra Al-Filistinya Wa Al-Lubnanya (“Al-Waqfiya”) has been designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 for being controlled by, acting for or on behalf of, and providing financial support to Hamas. The Al-Quds International Foundation (“Al-Quds”) has been designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for being controlled by and acting for or on behalf of Hamas.

Today’s actions freeze any assets Al-Waqfiya or Al-Quds hold under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with these parties. E.O. 13224 targets terrorists, terrorist organizations, and individuals and entities owned or controlled by or acting for or on behalf of designated terrorists or terrorist organizations, and those providing financial, material, or technological support or financial or other services to designated terrorists or terrorist organizations, or for acts of terrorism.

"The Treasury Department will continue to work to disrupt Hamas's efforts to radicalize vulnerable communities and undermine regional stability," said Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. "Today's action represents another step in our effort to ensure that charitable fronts are not used to finance terrorism."

The Beirut-based Al-Waqfiya and Al-Quds exist to support the families of Hamas fighters and prisoners and to raise money for programs and projects in the Palestinian territories intended to spread Hamas’s influence and control.

Al-Waqfiya, a central component of the Union of Good, which was designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 in November 2008 for supporting Hamas, was established by Hamas in 2000 to financially support the families of Hamas terrorists. The organization has been run by senior Hamas leadership for years, and several senior Hamas leaders play a dominant role within the organization.

Al-Waqfiya has facilitated the collection of money on Hamas’s behalf, and has used its ties with money-changers and merchants in the Middle East to transfer funds to Hamas in Gaza. When delivering funds to Gaza, Al-Waqfiya obscures the sources of the money so that donations appear as innocuous charitable contributions. Portions of funds sent by Al-Waqfiya to Hamas were used by Hamas military operatives, and have financed the Hamas infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.

Al-Quds was established in 2001 in Beirut by members of Hamas in order to raise funds for Hamas projects in Jerusalem through the cover of charity. Hamas’s leadership runs all of the foundation’s affairs through Hamas members who serve on the Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors, and other administrative committees. All documents, plans, budgets, and projects of Al-Quds are drafted by Hamas officials. Several senior Hamas officials, including Specially Designated Global Terrorists Musa Abu-Marzuq and Usama Hamdan, served on Al-Quds’ Board of Trustees. Representatives at an Al-Quds conference were told to consider themselves unofficial ambassadors for Hamas in their respective countries.

IDENTIFIERS:

Entity: Waqfiya Ri’aya al-Usra al-Filistinya wa al-Lubnanya

AKA: Waqfiya Ri'aya Al-Isra Al-Libnaniya wa Al-Falastiniya

AKA: Al Waqfiya Al Usrah Al Filastinia

AKA: Al-Waqfiyyah for the Families of the Martyrs and Detainees in Lebanon

AKA: Al-Waqfiya Association

AKA: Wakfia Raaia Alasra AlFalestinia Wallbanania

AKA: Welfare of the Palestinian and Lebanese Family Care

AKA: Palestinian and Lebanese Families Welfare Trust

AKA: The Palestinian and Lebanese Families Welfare Association

AKA: Welfare Association for Palestinian and Lebanese Families

AKA: Endowment for Care of Lebanese and Palestinian Families