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Paypal bars UK charity War on Want from donations platform over alleged terror links
Paypal was lobbied by pro-Israel lawyers who allege charity is linked to Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
October 23, 2018 15:38
Paypal was lobbied by pro-Israel lawyers who allege charity is linked to Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
October 23, 2018 15:38A UK charity has been barred from receiving donations via Paypal, afte pro-Israel lawyers raised its alleged links to a terror group.
Paypal has withdrawn its services to War on Want, after the UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) alleged the charity had links to the terror group Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
PFLP, which the UK Government designates a terrorist organisation, is said to benefit from War on Want’s international programmes delivered through the charity's partner organisations, UKLFI said.
Paypal withdrew its services after UKLFI and the Lawfare Project highlighted a complaint the two groups had submitted to the Charity Commission about War on Want.
The two groups accused War on Want of “promoting dishonest and frequently antisemitic narratives on Israel and misusing charitable funds to spread political propaganda.”
Brooke Goldstein, the director of the Lawfare Project, a legal think tank and litigation fund that files cases against antisemitic discrimination, said: “Paypal has decided to no longer allow its service to be abused by those who promote violence, lies and propaganda.
“Congratulations to UKLFI on this result and to Paypal for taking a stand against the misuse of its platform.”
The PFLP, which is also deemed a terrorist organisation by the US, EU, Canada, and Israel, claimed responsibility for an attack on a synagogue in West Jerusalem in 2014.
During the attack on a synagogue in Har Nof, five Jewish worshippers and a Druze policeman were murdered and six other worshippers were injured, with axes, knives, and a gun.
Two Palestinian men with axes entered the shul during morning prayers and attacked the worshippers.
UKLFI Director Caroline Turner said: “I am pleased that Paypal has responded to the evidence it has now seen regarding War on Want’s association with groups linked to terrorism and has ceased to assist War on Want in obtaining donations.”
Both groups called on the Charity Commission to “look carefully at War on Want’s activities and associations”.
In September, when UKLFI and the Lawfare Project lodged their complaint with the Charity Commission, War on Want said it "does not comment on vexatious and politically motivated campaigns aimed at silencing human rights organisations".
On Wednesday the charity told the Third Sector magazine that Paypal had acted on "unsubstantiated smears.”
In a statement, War on Want said: "It is regrettable that Paypal has taken this decision on the basis of unsubstantiated smears and without a proper process for War on Want to refute the allegations being made.
"War on Want is taking all necessary steps to ensure that its human rights work is not disrupted by this malicious campaign.
"Palestinian human rights organisations are a regular target of vexatious and politically motivated complaints to disrupt their work. UK-based civil society organisations are also increasingly becoming the focus of such attacks."
