HOLY LAND FOUNDATION (HLF)
U.S. Designation Date: December 4, 2001; re-designated May 31, 2002
U.S. Government Summary: The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) was designated under Executive Orders 13224 and 12947 as a charity that provided millions of dollars of material and logistical support to Hamas. HLF, originally known as the Occupied Land Fund, was established in California in 1989 as a tax-exempt charity. In 1992, HLF relocated to Richardson, Texas. It had offices in California, New Jersey, and Illinois, and individual representatives scattered throughout the United States, the West Bank, and Gaza. In the year 2000 alone, HLF raised over $13 million. HLF supported Hamas activities through direct fund transfers to its offices in the West Bank and Gaza that are controlled by Hamas and transfers of funds to zakat committees and other charitable organizations that are part of Hamas’s da’wa network.
In November 2008, HLF and several of its officers were found guilty on all 108 counts after a federal criminal trial in Dallas, Texas.
Examples of Payments:
- On April 3, 1999, HLF transferred $11,925 to the Ramallah Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On July 10, 1999, HLF transferred $24,494 to the Islamic Charitable Society of Hebron’s account at Arab Bank.
- On December 16, 1999, HLF transferred $17,980 to the Ramallah Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
AL AQSA FOUNDATION (AAF)
U.S. Designation Date: May 29, 2003
U.S. Government Summary: The Al Aqsa Foundation (AAF) is a critical part of the Hamas terrorist support infrastructure. Through its headquarters in Germany and branch offices in the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Pakistan, South Africa, Yemen and elsewhere, AAF funnels money collected for charitable purposes to Hamas terrorists. Like other Hamas-affiliated charities, AAF uses humanitarian relief as cover to provide support to the Hamas terrorist organization. AAF offices are included in lists of organizations that contributed to the Hamas-affiliated Charity Coalition (Union of Good) in 2001 and 2002. Pursuant to a July 31, 2002 administrative order, German authorities closed AAF in Germany for supporting Hamas. In April 2003, Dutch authorities blocked AAF assets in The Netherlands based on information that funds were provided to organizations supporting terrorism in the Middle East.
AKAs: Al-Aqsa International Foundation; Al-Aqsa Charitable Foundation; Sanabil al-Aqsa Charitable Foundation; Al-Aqsa Sinabil Establishment; Al-Aqsa Charitable Organization; Charitable Al-Aqsa Establishment; Mu'assa al-Aqsa al-Khayriyya; Mu'assa Sanabil Al-Aqsa al- Khayriyya; Aqssa Society; Al-Aqsa Islamic Charitable Society; Islamic Charitable Society for al-Aqsa; Charitable Society to Help the Noble al-Aqsa; Nusrat al-Aqsa al-Sharif.
Examples of Payments:
- On February 18, 2003, the Al Aqsa Foundation transferred 6,965 Euros to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On December 27, 2003, the Al Aqsa Foundation transferred 14,965 Euros to the Al Islah Charitable Society’s account at Arab Bank.
INTERPAL
U.S. Designation Date: August 22, 2003
U.S. Government Summary: Interpal, headquartered in the UK, has been a principal charity utilized to hide the flow of money to Hamas. Reporting indicates it is the conduit through which money flows to Hamas from other charities, e.g., the Al Aqsa Foundation, and that it oversees the activities of other charities. Reporting also indicates that Interpal is the fundraising coordinator of Hamas, a coordination point for other Hamas-affiliated charities. This role includes supervising activities of charities, developing new charities in targeted areas, instructing how funds should be transferred from one charity to another, and even determining public relations policy.
AKAs: Relief and Development Fund For Palestine; Welfare and Development Fund of Palestine; and Palestinian Aid and Support Fund.
Examples of Payments:
- On December 23, 2003, Interpal transferred 34,944 NIS to the Al Islah Charitable Society’s account at Arab Bank.
- On September 25, 2003, Interpal transferred 5,000 GBP to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On December 9, 2003, Interpal transferred 3,678 GBP to the Islamic Charitable Society of Hebron’s account at Arab Bank.
COMITÉ DE BIENFAISANCE ET DE SECOURS
AUX PALESTINIENS (CBSP)
U.S. Designation Date: August 22, 2003
U.S. Government Summary: Comité de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens (CBSP) is the primary fundraiser for Hamas in France. Founded in France in the late 80s/early 90s, like other Hamas-affiliated charities, CBSP acts in collaboration with more than a dozen humanitarian organizations based in different towns in the West Bank and Gaza and in Palestinian refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon. Khalid Al-Shuli (designated under Executive Order 13224 on August 22, 2003) is the president of CBSP.
AKAs: Association for Palestinian Aid; Palestine Relief Committee; Palestinian Aid Council; Palestinian Aid Organization; Palestinian Relief Society; Relief Association for Palestine.
Examples of Payments:
- On October 19, 2003, CBSP transferred 39,965 Euros to the Al Islah Charitable Society’s account at Arab Bank.
- On January 12, 2004, CBSP transferred 19,965 Euros to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On February 3, 2001, CBSP transferred 60,814 NIS to the Ramallah Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
ASSOCIATION DE SECOURS PALESTINIEN (ASP)
U.S. Designation Date: August 22, 2003
U.S. Government Summary: ASP, a subsidiary of CBSP, was founded in Switzerland in 1994. The group has collected large amounts of money from mosques and Islamic centers, which it then transfers to sub-organizations of Hamas. Khalid Al-Shuli is the president of ASP.
Examples of Payments:
- On October 13, 2003, ASP transferred 10,576 Jordanian Dinars to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On January 8, 2004, ASP transferred 6,720 Swiss Francs to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On October 26, 2003, ASP transferred 16,789 NIS to the Al Islah Charitable Society’s account at Arab Bank.
THE PALESTINIAN ASSOCIATION IN AUSTRIA (PVOE)
U.S. Designation Date: August 22, 2003
U.S. Government Summary: The Palestinian Association in Austria (PVOE) is controlled by the leader of Hamas in Austria. Like other Hamas-affiliated charities, the money is targeted to support members of Hamas and is funneled through other charities in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza or other areas of the Middle East in order to obscure the transfer of funds while ensuring they reach intended Hamas recipients.
AKAs: Palestinian Union in Austria; Palestinian League in Austria; Palaestinaenser Verein; Palaestinaenserverein Oesterreich; Palaestinensisch Verband Oesterreich; Palaestinensische Vereinigung; Palaestininiensische Bereinigung; Palestine League; Palestine Union; Palestinensische Ver In Sterreich; Palestinian Association; Palestinian League in Austria; Palestinian Organization; Palestinian Union; Palestinian Union in Austria; Palestinische Vereinigung; PVOE.
Examples of Payments:
- On April 14, 2001, PVOE transferred 9,501 NIS to the Ramallah Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On March 5, 2003, PVOE transferred 11,902 Euros to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
- On August 25, 2003, PVOE transferred 5,760 Euros to the Tulkarem Zakat Committee’s account at Arab Bank.
UNION OF GOOD
U.S. Designation Date: November 12, 2008
U.S. Government Summary: The leadership of Hamas created the Union of Good in late-2000, shortly after the start of the second intifada, in order to facilitate the transfer of funds to Hamas. The Union of Good acts as a broker for Hamas by facilitating financial transfers between a web of charitable organizations—including several organizations previously designated under E.O. 13224 for providing support to Hamas- and Hamas-controlled organizations in the West Bank and Gaza. The primary purpose of this activity is to strengthen Hamas’ political and military position in the West Bank and Gaza, including by: (i) diverting charitable donations to support Hamas members and the families of terrorist operatives; and (ii) dispensing social welfare and other charitable services on behalf of Hamas.
Among the primary financiers of Union of Good projects are several organizations designated pursuant to E.O. 13224 for providing support to Hamas and other terrorist groups, including the International Palestine Relief and Development Fund (Interpal), Al-Aqsa Foundation, Comite de Bienfaisance et de Secours Palestiniens (CBSP), the Association de Secours Palestiniens (ASP) of Switzerland, the Palestinian Association in Austria (PVOE), and the Sanabil Association for Relief and Development in Lebanon. The Union of Good facilitates the transfer of tens of millions of dollars a year to Hamas-managed associations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
AKAs: Charity Coalition; Coalition of Good; I’tilaf Al-Khair.
