Central Fund of Israel
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The Central Fund of Israel is an American non-profit association involved in channeling American donations to Israeli pro-settler groups.[1][2] It is run out of the third floor of the Marcus Brothers Textiles store on Sixth Avenue in Manhatten. Its director is Jay Marcus, a resident of the West Bank settlement of Efrat.[3]
The organisation was among a number of US groups criticized by the New York Times for using tax exempt status to help fund the Israeli settlement project in the occupied territories, effectively obstructing the foundation of a Palestinian state, which is generally accepted as a prerequisite for peace in the Middle East. The New York Times described the fund as a "prominent clearing house" used by dozens of West Bank organisations as "a vehicle for channeling donations back to themselves" in order for donors to receive US tax breaks.[4]
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee has filed a number of complaints with the US Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service over organizations, such as the central fund of Israel, that fund settlement development in the West Bank. In a 2010 press release, the committee's National Executive Director Kareem Shora said, "The United States should work to enforce its stated policy on illegal settlements and not provide tax incentives for organizations that jeopardize our national interests and peace and security in the Middle East." [5]
The fund has been accused of funding extremist organisations operating in the occupied territories. Investigative reporter Philip Weiss, on his Mondoweiss website, reported payments from the fund to the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva. The yeshiva, located in the West Bank had come under scrutiny after Yitzhak Shapira, a rabbi at the yeshiva, said it is permissible to kill Palestinian babies because of "the future danger that will arise if they are allowed to grow into evil people like their parents."[5][6][7] The fund has also been criticized for funding Im Tirtzu,[8] for whom it is the main channel for donations. It also supports Women in Green and Honenu, an organization which provides legal defense for Israelis accused of crimes against Arabs or the Israeli security forces. Im Tirtzu's Web site requests for donations to be sent through the fund.[9][10][11]
References
- ^ "Major pro-Israel giver funds 'Jihad Watch'". The Jerusalem Post. 05/09/2010. Retrieved 06.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "The Softspoken Man Behind Times of Israel". The Forward. February 29, 2012. Retrieved 06.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Barak Ravid (31.01.12). "Officials: Israel outsources monitoring of Palestinian media after IDF lapse". Haaretz. Retrieved 05.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Jim Rutenberg, Mike McIntire and Ethan Bronner (July 5, 2010). "Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank". The New York Times. Retrieved 05.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ a b E.B. Solomont (01/08/2010). "Beit Orot holds NY fundraising dinner". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 05.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Akiva Eldar (15.12.09). "U.S. tax dollars fund rabbi who excused killing gentile babies". Haaretz. Retrieved 05.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Max Blumenthal (August 30, 2010). "How to Kill Goyim and Influence People: Israeli Rabbis Defend Book's Shocking Religious Defense of Killing Non-Jews". AlterNet. Retrieved 06.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Jonathan Freedland (February 18, 2010). "Israel needs its internal critics". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 05.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Jonathan Lis (05.02.10). "Amid row over contentious ad, Jerusalem Post fires Naomi Chazan of New Israel Fund". Haaretz. Retrieved 06.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Boaz Gaon, Jonathan Gurfinkel (25.03.11). "Charge of the left brigade". Haaretz. Retrieved 06.03.12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Eli Clifton (09/02/2010). "U.S. Non-Profit Targeted Rights Group over Goldstone". Inter Press Service. Retrieved 05.03.12.
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External links
- Update on the investigative report on the Central Israel Fund by the Mondoweiss website.
- Published letter to the New York Times from the Central Fund of Israel directer, Jay Marcus, in response to critical article (July 8, 2010)
- IPS report including investigation into funding and donations of the Central Fund of Israel