Staff Reports
In a surprising development, PayPal has terminated a fundraising account that was supporting a designated terrorist organization in Gaza, the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC). Israel declared UAWC a terrorist group in 2021 due to its ties with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), another designated terrorist organization. The fundraising campaign, in collaboration with the Spanish Bizilur Association for Cooperation and Development of Peoples, aimed to support the "#StopGazaStarvation Gaza Relief Campaign." The pro-Israel think tank Zachor Legal Institute played a crucial role in alerting PayPal about potential involvement in "aiding and abetting" terrorism, leading to the closure of the Bizilur account.
Stripe, the credit card processor, is currently conducting an internal investigation into the same campaign, and there's a possibility of them taking similar action to shut it down. The situation is exacerbated by Palestinian terrorist-tied groups mobilizing to support Gaza in the aftermath of Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel. The UAWC, identified as the PFLP's "agricultural" arm, has a history of terrorist ties.
Scoop: PayPal quietly shut down a Gaza fundraiser for an Israeli-designated terror group, while credit card processor Stripe launched an internal investigation, @dcexaminer first reports
Meanwhile, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is eying his own investigationhttps://t.co/qPioS8s4Ob
— Gabe Kaminsky (@gekaminsky) November 21, 2023
The use of seemingly humanitarian fronts for nefarious activities by these organizations is alarming. Despite the awareness of UAWC's ties to terrorism, Bizilur openly acknowledges that funds from the Gaza fundraiser will go to UAWC. Surprisingly, Stripe continues to process payments for the Gaza fundraiser.
The involvement of financial services companies in such activities raises concerns about compliance with laws preventing the promotion of hate, violence, and financial exploitation of crimes. It is imperative for these companies to conduct thorough due diligence to ensure they are not inadvertently supporting terrorist activities. Swift and decisive action is crucial to prevent further support for such heinous activities.
It is essential for companies like Stripe to follow PayPal's lead and promptly shut down fundraisers associated with designated terrorist organizations to uphold public confidence that donations go to legitimate, law-abiding organizations and not to terrorist groups masquerading as humanitarian causes.
