Pro-Israel groups call on Stripe to sever ties with Palestinian terror-linked NGO.
Pro-Israel Groups Demand Stripe to Stop Handling Donations for Nonprofit Linked to Palestinian Terrorism
A coalition of 11 pro-Israel groups from around the world is taking action against major payment processor Stripe, urging them to cease handling donations for a nonprofit organization that has been linked to Palestinian terrorism. The Washington Examiner reported that the Arizona-based charity Alliance for Global Justice, which has faced calls for federal investigations due to its ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) terror group, is still able to fundraise through Stripe despite being dropped by software company Salsa Labs.
Financial records reveal that Stripe is now facing pressure from pro-Israel entities in Spain, Canada, and the United States to review its policies and refrain from handling contributions that could potentially fund foreign terror organizations. In a letter addressed to Stripe co-founders John Collison and Patrick Collison, President Marc Greendorfer of the Zachor Legal Institute, a think tank fighting antisemitism, emphasized that Stripe’s apparent inaction is not in line with their legal and ethical obligations. Greendorfer also expressed willingness to address any inquiries Stripe may have regarding their work.
Escalating Efforts to Cripple Alliance for Global Justice
This written request to Stripe represents the latest escalation in efforts to financially cripple the Alliance for Global Justice. Watchdog groups such as the Zachor Legal Institute and the National Legal and Policy Center have accused the organization of providing material support to terrorism, which would be a violation of federal law. Stripe began processing donations for the alliance after Salsa Labs ceased handling their credit card transactions earlier this year.
Congressional Republicans, including House Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), have also urged Stripe and other American companies to refrain from providing services to Palestinian terror or antisemitic advocacy groups. Records indicate that the Alliance for Global Justice has fundraised for Collectif Palestine Vaincra, a member of the Israeli-designated terror coalition Samidoun, which the Arizona charity has financially sponsored.
Highlighting the Connection Between Samidoun and the PFLP
The pro-Israel groups in the coalition letter pointed out the connection between Samidoun and the PFLP. Samidoun co-founder Khaled Barakat has been referred to as one of the PFLP’s “leaders,” according to the letter. Additionally, Mohammad Khatib, a Europe Samidoun coordinator, has allegedly been identified as a PFLP leader in Palestinian media outlets. Mustapha Awad, Samidoun’s Europe representative, was imprisoned in Israel after receiving military training from Hezbollah in Lebanon, as stated in the letter.
The letter further emphasized that donations made to Samidoun through the Alliance for Global Justice’s platform have potentially provided support to designated terror organizations and specific terrorist activities worldwide. This would mean that the Alliance for Global Justice, as Samidoun’s fiscal sponsor, is potentially providing material support to terrorism, which violates federal laws and the criminal and civil provisions of the United States’ Anti-Terrorism Act.
Efforts to Block Samidoun and AfGJ from Using Payment Processors
The letter also cited previous instances where payment processors such as Discover and PayPal blocked Samidoun and the Alliance for Global Justice from using their services due to concerns over their ties to terror. Stripe’s terms and conditions state that the company does not work with entities that engage in or promote unlawful violence or harm to individuals or property, or with groups based on race, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, or any other immutable characteristic.
In addition to the Zachor Legal Institute and NGO Monitor, the request letter was signed by the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, Belgian Friends of Israel, B’nai Brith Canada, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs in Canada, the U.S. Lawfare Project, Med Israel for Fred in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland, as well as the United Kingdom’s National Jewish Assembly and StandWithUs.
The Washington Examiner also reported that the Alliance for Global Justice, which describes itself as an “anti-capitalist” and “progressive” charity, has appeared to sponsor the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel coalition. This sponsorship came after Salsa Labs severed ties with the alliance, preventing the BDS coalition from fundraising. The Zachor Legal Institute has been in contact with the IRS and the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control regarding Stripe’s donation processing for the alliance.
Authorities in Canada, Germany, and Belgium are closely monitoring the developments in the United States regarding funding for Samidoun and other Palestinian terror-linked NGOs, according to NGO Monitor President Gerald Steinberg.
As of now, both the Alliance for Global Justice and Stripe have not responded to requests for comment.
“Since 9/11, financial institutions in the West have been committed to stopping the flow of funds to terrorist organizations,” said Robert Garson, president of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists. “We call upon Stripe to turn off the spigot to the AfGJ, which sponsors those committed to killing Israeli civilians.”
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