The Israeli government has banned a Sydney-based charity because it allegedly funnels funds to Hamas.
The Australian chapter of Human Appeal International, known in Arabic as Hay’at al-A’mal al-Khayriyya, was banned earlier this month by Israel’s Ministry of Defense along with two other branches of the organization. The Israelis accuse HAI of raising money for Hamas, which is banned in Australia.
A spokesman for HAI denied the accusation Thursday to the Australian newspaper. The CIA and FBI in the United States also have accused HAI of links to terrorism, according to the newspaper.
The organization’s spokesman said he believed the Australian government would not ban HAI, saying “they have sense and they are smart enough not to do any stupid move referring or [making] such accusations.”
HAI’s proscription comes as Australian Federal Police are investigating another Sydney-based charity, Muslim Aid Australia, over its connection to Interpal, a British-based aid charity banned in Australia for its alleged links to terrorists.
