The United States Treasury Department has announced sanctions against a well-known Palestinian Charities and five other charitable groups located in different parts of the world. These sanctions were imposed because the US believes the charities are secretly helping armed groups like Hamas while pretending to give humanitarian aid, especially in Gaza.
One of the most recognized groups on the list is Addameer, a nongovernmental charity that was started in 1991 and is based in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Addameer offers free legal support to Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and keeps track of how they are treated inside prisons.
The US government says Addameer has supported the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a left-wing group that has a political side and an armed wing. Both the US and Israel have labeled the PFLP as a terrorist group. Israel has long accused Addameer of helping this group by funneling money and support.
UN, Rights Groups Dispute Evidence
However, the United Nations (UN) has reviewed this claim and said there was no solid evidence to prove it. The UN also stated that Addameer does important work in supporting human rights and humanitarian needs in the Palestinian territories. In 2022, when Israeli forces raided Addameer’s office, the UN criticized the action and again said the evidence against the group was not convincing.
Anwar Ibrahim Calls for UN Sanctions on Israel Over Palestine Crisis
The US State Department, in a 2022 report, mentioned the arrest of Salah Hammouri, a French-Palestinian human rights lawyer who worked at Addameer. The report included his case in a section focused on punishment against human rights defenders.
Addameer is known to work with well-established international groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and is a part of the World Organization Against Torture. As of now, Addameer has not issued a public response to the new US sanctions.
More Charities Accused of Militant Ties
Along with Addameer, the US sanctioned five other organizations on the same day. These include charities located in Gaza, Turkey, the Netherlands, and Italy, and several individuals linked to those groups. Here is the list of those entities:
- Al Weam Charitable Society, based in Gaza, along with its leader.
- Filistin Vakfi, a Turkish charity, and its head.
- El Baraka Association for Charitable and Humanitarian Work and its leader.
- Israa Charitable Foundation Netherlands, and two of its employees.
- Associazione Benefica La Cupola d’Oro, located in Italy.
According to the US Treasury, these groups have been raising money through crowdfunding platforms and online donations, pretending the money is for good causes while secretly sending it to armed organizations. A 2024 Treasury report says that most online donations are genuine, which makes it hard for investigators to spot the dangerous ones being used for terrorism.
These sanctions will now block any money these organizations might have in the US. It also means that Americans are banned from doing business with them.
Advocacy Group Pushed for Action
The sanctions on Addameer were encouraged by Zachor Legal Institute, a US-Israeli advocacy group that says it fights antisemitism and terrorism. In February, the group sent a letter to the US government asking for Addameer to be sanctioned. The letter was written by Marc Greendorfer, the group’s president, and signed by 44 other organizations. It was addressed to Scott Bessent, named in the article as the Treasury Secretary.
Greendorfer said in an email to the Associated Press that Zachor is “very pleased” with the decision and believes the US government is taking the right steps to prevent hate and violence. He also urged the Treasury to consider going after other groups they had identified in their letter.
