Sixteen Angry Men 2

Continued from SAM 1:

Those 'Charities': All Roads Lead to... Jerusalem

"The World Zionist Organization American Section is a component and agent of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) based in Jerusalem. The WZO, founded in 1897, has as its stated objective the establishment and development of the state of Israel in Palestine. Also known as the Jewish Agency (JA), from 1922 until 1948, the WZO/JA acted as the political organization and governing body of the Jewish community in Palestine. After the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, the state of Israel enacted laws and covenants establishing the WZO/JA as a component of the government of the state of Israel, with particular responsibility for the development and settlement of the country, the encouragement of Jewish immigration to Israel, and the absorption of Jewish immigrants. The WZO continues to fulfil this government function, and is particularly active in planning and implementing the seizure and occupation of Palestinian Arab-owned land in the West Bank for the development of exclusively Jewish settlements. The WZO collects contributions from donors in the US, which are deducted by such donors for US income tax purposes, and acts as a conduit to transfer the funds to its Israeli counterpart where they are used to further the above-described activities and functions.

"The Jewish Agency American Section is a component and agent of the WZO and the JA based in Jerusalem, and is registered as the agent of the WZO/JA pursuant to the US Foreign Agents Registration Act. Through subsidiary organizations, including the American Zionist Council and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, it engages in political propaganda and lobbying within the US.

"The United Israel Appeal... is a principal beneficiary of the United Jewish Appeal. It serves as a conduit for funds raised in the US to the JA for Israel, its operating agent, and then to the WZO/JA in Jerusalem, for the purposes and activities described below. The United Jewish Appeal is the major Jewish fundraising organization in the US. Contributions solicited and received by it are transferred to the UIA, Inc. and thence in conduit fashion to the WZO/JA.

"The Jewish National Fund... (JNF), by virtue of covenants and statutes of the state of Israel, is directed by the Zionist Executive of the WZO for the 'reclamation' and development of the land of Israel and the territories under military occupation by Israel. The JNF acquires land (through confiscation or otherwise) from the Palestinian Arab residents of Israel and the occupied West Bank for the exclusive occupation and use of Israeli Jews... Contributions solicited and raised by the American component of the JNF are also transferred in conduit fashion to Israel.

"The Americans for a Safe Israel acts as the agent for the sale - exclusively to American Jews and to no others - of land on the West Bank acquired by confiscation or otherwise from the Palestinian Arab residents, for the establishment of exclusively Jewish settlements.

The Legal Argument

"Because of the tremendous benefits accruing to private individuals and organizations as a consequence of tax-exempt status and because of the loss to the federal treasury of tax revenue that would otherwise be collected, organizations which are tax-exempt pursuant to 26 US Code Section 501(c)(3) must strictly confine their activities to those furthering the religious, charitable or educational purposes for which tax-exempt status is provided by law, and must not engage in activities that contravene the public policy and interests of the US. Contributions by US taxpayers to charitable organizations or governmental entities outside the US are not deductible by such donors. Likewise, contributions by US taxpayers to charitable organizations in the US are not deductible by such donors where such organizations serve merely as conduits for the donated funds... to charitable organizations or governmental entities outside the US...

"The WZO AS, the JA AS, the UIA, and the JNF... are merely conduits of funds donated to them, which flow directly to components of the State of Israel. The above-named US-based Zionist organizations continue to have recognition of tax-exempt status, and the ability to attract deductible contributions, despite the fact that their activities contravene fundamental public policies of the US and despite the fact that a substantial portion of their activities are neither religious, charitable, nor educational as defined by US tax laws. Specifically, each of these organizations supports, financially and politically, the confiscation of land on the West Bank owned by Palestinian Arabs for the establishment of exclusively Jewish settlements. These settlements contravene [& continue to contravene] the stated foreign policy of the US as expressed since 1977 by President Carter and later by President Reagan. They also contravene the public policy of the US in that the settlements are discriminatory on the basis of race and national origin.

"The above organizations are not engaging in educational activities within the meaning of US tax laws, since they engage in one-sided and prejudicial propaganda designed to misinform the American people with regard to the genuine dignity and continued suffering of the Palestinian people. These organizations support policies aiming at the 'desertification' of Palestinian land, destroying crops through defoliation and other means, uprooting orchards, and directing water from cultivated land. The organizations in question deliberately and systematically suppress information about these actions and proclaim instead, in propaganda broadsides, that they are supporting policies designed to make the desert bloom. The JNF comingles funds raised in the US into the general funds of the State of Israel without any US control, where they are used apparently for military, and not charitable, purposes...

"The continuing refusal by the defendants, Secretary of the US Treasury and the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, to disallow charitable deductions, claimed by US donors for contributions to these conduit organizations, constitutes a violation of their responsibilities and a violation of federal law."

To be continued...

[Those of you wondering just how many tax deductible Australian dollars have recently found their way to Israel via the UIA conduit, will be interested to know that the UAI's Melbourne office alone, run BTW by former Israeli naval commander and Israeli citizen, Meir Buber, "over 5 appeal campaigns... raised $87 million - per capita the highest amount of any UIA... or JA appeal." (Buber's $87 million charity achievement, jewishnews.net.au, 21/9/10)]