Look at World Vision

With regard to your August 5 front-page piece “Shin Bet: Hamas infiltrated international Gaza aid group,” about World Vision diverting tens of millions of dollars to Hamas, Israeli officials played it down, suggesting that the Evangelical Christian charity was duped. Really? Tens of millions of dollars disappear and nobody notices?

World Vision has gone to the ramparts and is running a full-frontal defense, demanding a “fair and legal process.” Denials of wrongdoing have been swift, as expected from a multi-billion-dollar organization with access to the best lawyers, accountants and PR flaks money can buy.

The charity has a dubious record regarding Israel. Its website lists dozens of countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, where child sponsorships are available ($39 a month and up); Israel is not listed. No needy kids here, right? Instead, there is a listing for “Jerusalem/West Bank/ Gaza.” That’s no country, but it is certainly a political statement.

In its brochure “Advocating for a Just Peace in the Holy Land,” World Vision lists among its local partners ultra-Left groups like B’tselem and Breaking the Silence, and declares: “WV is committed to supporting initiatives, whether exclusively Palestinian, Israeli or joint, operating from a framework of ‘co-resistance.’ We welcome Israeli actions that resist the occupation and work towards restoring rights for Palestinians living in Israel and the o[ccupied] P[alestinian] t[erritories].”

In its description of its mission for IRS Form 990, Schedule O, it states: “Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we serve alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.”

There are many Christian believers who adhere to such principles and sacrifice greatly for others with their time and resources. But “Christian” organizations that “lose” money that ends up buying weapons, tunnels built with child labor and otherwise sponsoring terrorism and war are motivated by something other than Jesus Christ.

DAVID GOLDBERG

Jerusalem