The Jewish Chronicle

Concern voiced over Mitzvah Day partner Muslim Aid

- BY DANIEL SUGARMAN

QUESTIONS HAVE been raised about a joint event being held by Mitzvah Day and a charity accused by the Israeli government of being “part of Hamas’s fundraisin­g network… both supporting and assisting it”.

Muslim Aid, which has been banned from Israel for the past decade, is taking part in a “Chicken Soup Challenge” on Mitzvah Day later this month, with the aim of making 5,000 portions to distribute to the needy.

Alan Mendoza, Executive Director of the Henry Jackson Society, said: “Questions have repeatedly been raised in the UK about Muslim Aid’s funnelling of funds to groups allegedly linked to Palestinia­n terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

“Given the considerab­le uncertaint­y about its activities, it is a terrible error of judgment for Mitzvah Day to have chosen to partner with this organisati­on. Those British Jews who have had family members and friends in Israel killed as a result of terrorist activity will be appalled by such insensitiv­ity.”

However, in 2010, a UK Charity Commission investigat­ion concluded that allegation­s that Muslim Aid had funnelled money to organisati­ons linked to Hamas were “unsubstant­iated”.

Muslim Aid said: “The Charity Commission found no basis for the allegation­s against Muslim Aid on links to terrorism as far back as 2010.”

It added: “In Gaza, as elsewhere in the world, Muslim Aid has rigorous controls in place to ensure the assistance we provide gets to the people who need it most. All organisati­ons that we work through undergo rigorous due diligence checks.

“Muslim Aid has never had any links to terrorist groups. Muslim Aid works via trusted partner organisati­ons, which are carefully screened and do not appear on internatio­nal lists of proscribed organisati­ons.”

Mitzvah Day founder and chair Laura Marks OBE said: “Mitzvah Day is all about bringing people together and showing that there is more that unites than divides us.

“This particular project is all about Jews and Muslims coming together to feed the homeless. We do not raise money or fund projects.”

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