US imposes sanctions on Palestinian NGO and five charities over alleged terrorism funding

The United States Treasury Department on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a major Palestinian NGO and on five individuals and five other charity groups across the Middle East, Africa and Europe. 

The US accused these entities of supporting terrorism, including Hamas’ military wing, under the pretence of humanitarian work. 

Those sanctioned include Addameer, an NGO founded in 1991 and based in the West Bank. Addameer provides free legal services to Palestinian political prisoners. 

The US federal government claims the group is affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a secular, left-wing movement with a political party and an armed wing that has carried out deadly attacks against Israelis.

Israel and the US have labelled the PFLP a terrorist organization.

The United Nations had previously said it could not support the claim that Addameer funds terrorism. 

By sanctioning Addameer, the US Treasury gives in to the demands of Zachor Legal Institute, an Israeli-American advocacy group that requested sanctions against Addameer in February.

“Today’s action underscores the importance of safeguarding the charitable sector from abuse by terrorists like Hamas and the PFLP, who continue to leverage sham charities as fronts for funding their terrorist and military operations”, said Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury Michael Faulkender.

Other targets of US sanctions include Turkish charity Filistin Vakfi, and Algeria-based El Baraka Association, as well as their leaders. 

All the organisations targeted provide humanitarian relief to Gaza. 

Human rights lawyer and former UN official Craig Mokhiber said the US was "criminalizing humanitarian & human rights work."

The US Treasury said it will continue to seek disruptions to the financial capabilities of Hamas