GlobalGiving UK has confirmed that Defence for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) is not eligible to receive donations through its organisation. This follows representations by UK Lawyers for Israel, which pointed out the links between DCI-P and the terrorist group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
DCI-P had advertised to UK donors that tax deductible donations could be made by sending a cheque to GlobalGiving UK, marked for DCI-P. This information has now been removed from DCI-P’s website, on the instructions of GlobalGiving.
GlobalGiving UK wrote in an email to UKLFI: “GlobalGiving takes its commitment to donor stewardship seriously, and we have initiated an investigation of the claims you included in your letter, as is our process in such cases. This investigation is still ongoing…. In the meantime, DCI-P is not eligible to receive donations through GlobalGiving.” The email confirmed that GlobalGiving asked DCI-P to remove the instructions currently posted on its website.
Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI commented: “If an organisation purports to promote children’s rights but is actually closely linked to and promotes the doctrines of a terrorist group, then charitable donation platforms should not assist such an organisation.”
Citibank and Arab bank withdrew their bank services from DCI-P in June 2018 after receiving letters from UKLFI
However, CAF America and the United Church of Canada continue to assist DCI-P, providing access to tax free donations from the USA and Canada.
DCI-P is a Palestinian NGO which claims to promote Palestinian children’s rights. Many current and former officials, employees and board members of DCI-P maintain strong links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (“PFLP”). The PFLP is an active terrorist organisation, designated as such by the US, the EU, Canada and elsewhere.
Here are some of the links between DCI-P and the PFLP:
Hashem Abu Maria, an employee of DCI-P, was killed by the Israel Defence Forces during a violent confrontation in Beit Ummar in July 2014.
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He was mourned by the PFLP, in an official announcement[1] which described him as a “leader” and a PFLP member from an early age. The PFLP itself commended his work with DCI-P; its website called him an “advocate for the rights of our people through his work in Defence for Children International” [2].
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On 23 September 2014, DCI-P uploaded a video of a memorial service for Abu Maria, featuring a speech by DCI-P General Director, Rifat Odeh Kassis.[3] The courtyard where the memorial service took place was decorated with PFLP flags, posters, and pictures of prominent PFLP figures, such as founder George Habash and former leader Ahmed Sa’adat. Nearly all of the audience is dressed in PFLP apparel. Another video of the memorial service[4] shows posters of Abu Maria featuring the PFLP emblem and of Abu Maria with the DCI-P logo.
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DCI-P dedicated its 2014 annual report to Abu Maria. This is significant since PwC were the auditors of the 2014 accounts and it is patently clear that DCI-P were mourning a recognised PFLP member and leader.
Nassar Ibrahim was President of DCI-P’s General Assembly[5] up to 2018, and previously served several terms[6] on DCI-P’s board.[7]
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Ibrahim is the former editor of El Hadaf[8]– the PFLP’s weekly publication. On May 1, 2014, the PFLP unveiled a mural[9] “developed by writer and journalist Nassar Ibrahim,” honouring PFLP founder George Habash. Several PFLP members attended and spoke at the event.
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In 2002, Ibrahim published a book, together with Majed Nasser, called The Palestinian Intifada: Cry Freedom, demonstrating their unabashed support for the terror campaign of the early 2000s.
Halima Abu Solb served as a DCI-P board member until May 2018. She was tried for her connections to the PFLP in the late 1980s and sentenced to three years in prison.[10]
Mary Rock was a member of the DCI-P board until 2018.[11]She was one of the main candidates for the PFLP in the Bethlehem region in 2005.[12]
Mahmoud Jiddah (or Jaddah) served as a DCI-P board member from at least 2012[13] to 2016[14]. Jiddah was imprisoned by Israel for 17 years[15] for carrying out grenade attacks against Israeli civilians in Jerusalem in 1968. According to news reports[16], following a 2016 meeting with Jiddah, Didier Ortiz, then a Green Party candidate for the Fort Lauderdale City Council, posted an Instagram photo of Jiddah citing the latter’s PFLP affiliation.
Hassan Abdel Jawad has been a DCI-P board member since at least 2012.[17]
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On 17 October 2016, Abdel Jawad spoke on behalf of the PFLP[18] at an event commemorating a terrorist, Muataz Zawahra, who had been a PFLP operative, killed “while engaging in a demonstration confronting the occupation forces with stones and Molotov cocktails”.
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Jawad also spoke on behalf of the PFLP at a 2012 event[19] organized by the group, honouring former Bethlehem mayor Victor Batarseh.
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Jawad was a PFLP candidate[20] for the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2006.
Fatima Daana has been a member of DCI-P’s board since 2016[21]. From 2014-2016, she served as the group’s treasurer[22]. Daana is the widow of Raed Nazzal[23], the former commander of the PFLP’s armed wing (the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades) in Qalqilya. Nazzal was responsible for several terrorist attacks and was killed in 2002 in a shootout with IDF forces.
Shawan Jabarin is a former DCI-P board member[24].
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Jabarin was convicted in 1985 for recruiting members for the PFLP and arranging PFLP training outside Israel.
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In 1994 Jabarin was again arrested for PFLP links and placed in administrative detention for 6 months. The Israeli government stated that he “had not discontinued his terrorist involvement and maintains his position in the leadership of the PFLP.”[25]
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In 2007, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected Jabarin’s application to travel abroad stating that “The objections by security forces are all rooted in security concerns based on classified information, showing that the petitioner is a senior activist in the PFLP terror group… the current petitioner is apparently acting as a manner of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde, acting some of the time as the CEO of a human rights organization, and at other times as an activist in a terror organization which has not shied away from murder and attempted murder, which have nothing to do with rights …”.[26]
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In 2009, Jabarin was again prohibited by the Israeli authorities from travelling abroad. The Israeli Supreme Court rejected his appeal, stating: “We found that the material pointing to the petitioner’s involvement in the activity of terrorist entities is concrete and reliable material. We also found that additional negative material concerning the petitioner has been added even after his previous petition was rejected.” [27]