One More For Charity
Let’s give the Charity Commission, which relies on the public for information about potential malfeasance, another hand.
The commission is currently investigating “Viva Palestina”, George Galloway’s Hamas support operation.
The charity Interpal was of course closely involved in the Viva Palestina escapade, as reported here.
Well, let’s look at some more evidence. Here’s a picture of Galloway entering Gaza. The man on the right with a suitcase and a bag is none other than Majdi Aqil. He is an Interpal employee. He was also a member of Hamas in the past and may still be one today, as noted here.
I wonder what Mr Aqil had in his luggage?
Oh.
The second picture has been published by Interpal itself in an account of Aqil’s trip to Gaza with Viva Palestina.
You see, the regulation of British charities linked to terrorism is so poor that Interpal can boast of its involvement with Viva Palestina without fear of any consequences, even though it is linked to Hamas.
Or can it? Why doesn’t the Charity Commission add Interpal to its Viva Palestina enquiry?
Surely counterterrorism work is more important than (seriously) having a go at the Prince’s Trust for political activities?
Comments
| 22 April 2009, 1:50 pm |
Computer glitch, sorry. As I was saying: a wholly charitable organization which has unstintingly supported the cause of peace in the Middle East, and even at this very moment is demonstrating its enthusiasm for Earth Day (today, April 22) by planting Gharqad trees.
| 22 April 2009, 4:22 pm |
I vote for giving Andrew Hind’s research team a career break and appointing Habibi as the Charity Commission’s one-man researcher for a while. He seems to have a natural gift for it.
| 22 April 2009, 6:18 pm |
Seconded.
| 22 April 2009, 6:59 pm |
Viva Palestina was not set up as a charity nor did it ever claim to be a charity. It certainly never applied to the Charity Commission to gain the status of being a charity,
So why should the Charity Commission investigate?
| 22 April 2009, 8:23 pm |
Viva Palestina was not set up as a charity nor did it ever claim to be a charity. It certainly never applied to the Charity Commission to gain the status of being a charity,
| 22 April 2009, 9:02 pm |
Charity? Who cares! They are heroes! Thank you.
| 22 April 2009, 9:24 pm |
hasan prishtina – they were registered as a charity against their wishes. timothyMN is absolutely correct. I know liberalism went by the board a long time ago here, but such action by the charity commission – registering an organisation as a charity in order to be able to then freeze its accounts – is a highly political act far outside its remit and one that should set alarm bells ringing for the precedent it sets
| 22 April 2009, 11:48 pm |
I recognize the phrase “VP does not want to be a charity” from GG’s letter to the Charity Commission.
The Commission has no powers to register any organization against its will. But someone has to register a charity. Who did the paperwork? Who submitted the accounts? Who provided the signatures of the trustees? Are you suggesting that these were collected illegally? In which case, why have they not reported the matter to the police?
The investigation is being carried out under the Charities Act 1993, precisely within its powers. If the trustees disagree, they can seek judicial review. We know that the “inspirer” of VP has much faith in England’s judicial system.
Come to think of it, when the Gorgeous One was handing out the dosh to “the prime minister of us all,” didn’t he say that VP members had to collect receipts for what they had brought? Why? Surely the donors were delighted that their aid had reached its destination. These are not receipts for food, fuel etc. but for the aid handed over. Who would the receipts be for, if not for a statutory organization like the Commission?
It seems relevant that there are no commentators in the charity world who think that the Commission are wrong here. See, for example, the blog of Charity Times. Even the single commentator’s statement about “zionist chartities” does not allege that the Commission was guilty of “registering an organisation as a charity in order to be able to then freeze its accounts.”
When it comes to blurring the line between organizations that are charities and those that aren’t, GG has form.
| 23 April 2009, 7:06 am |
Don’t be silly hasan prishtina even when you are NOT a charity you still need to account for your spending and require receipts.
| 23 April 2009, 7:14 am |
This is a comment from Tom Forest from at the Charity Times Blog. It answers the question very clearly.
See http://www.charitytimes.com/blog/?p=24#comment-4
A search of the Charity Commission website shows that Viva Palestina was only registered as a charity on 9th April 2009, strange then that less than 4 days later the Charity Commission has decided to invesitgate them. At the same time The Commission appear reluctant to investigate the Zionist charities which actively seek funds to support Israeli troops! Get a grip Charity Commission, if you do your job without fear or favour people might accept what you do, but choosing to investigate pro-palestinian charities whilst ignoring zionist chartities can only bring your work into disrepute.
| 23 April 2009, 9:03 am |
If you’d read my post properly, TimothyMN, you would have seen that I had dealt with this: “Even the single commentator’s statement about “zionist chartities” does not allege that the Commission was guilty of “registering an organisation as a charity in order to be able to then freeze its accounts.”” You still have not substantiated your allegations that “Viva Palestina was not set up as a charity nor did it ever claim to be a charity. It certainly never applied to the Charity Commission to gain the status of being a charity.” Besides Charity Times is a rather more authoritative commentator than someone off the internet who doesn’t like Jews very much.
| 24 April 2009, 9:52 am |
A statement from the Charity Commission:
“We have received the letter from Mr Galloway, which is published on his website (www.georgegalloway.com). As we have an ongoing statutory inquiry into Viva Palestina (Lifeline for Gaza) there is a limit to how much more we can comment on.
As a general point, the Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is required by law and committed to acting fairly, proportionately and in the interest of charity. The Commission is an evidence and risk based regulator, which forms its own findings and conclusions based on evidence. It does not favour nor discriminate against any particular type of charity.
The Commission recognises that charities often deliver essential services in areas where the need is greatest, and is aware of the importance of legitimate humanitarian aid reaching those in need quickly. When conducting statutory inquiries, the Commission aims to minimise disruption to legitimate charitable work, whilst ensuring charitable funds are protected. Any restrictions that are placed on bank accounts are done so as a temporary and protective measure to protect those charitable funds. Restrictions do not prevent legitimate charitable work from continuing. We will authorise any legitimate payment asked for by the charity.
The Commission opened a statutory Inquiry into Viva Palestina or Lifeline for Gaza on 23 March 2009. Viva Palestina is charitable, and it was required by law to register as a charity in England and Wales. During the six weeks prior to opening the inquiry, the Commission attempted to contact the charity on repeated occasions in an effort to secure acknowledgement that the funds are held for charitable purposes. However, at the date the Inquiry opened, the Commission had received no substantive response to the issues that had been raised, either from the charity or individuals connected with it.
In addition, the Commission has concerns over financial governance arrangements relating to the use of funds. These facts require further investigation, and given the failure to reply to the Commission, led to the opening of an Inquiry under Section 8 of the Charities Act 1993.
Viva Palestina sent the Commission an application to register as a charity on 1 April 2009 and on 8 April 2009 it was entered on the Register of Charities (with registered charity number 1129092). The charity’s entry is available to view online at:
The Inquiry remains open and ongoing.”
Ah, but the Prince’s Trust case is a different kettle of fish, isn’t it? They appeared at a public event with Baroness Thatcher, who for ten years had been the dictator of a fascist state. Not only that, but she had played an active role in suppressing freedom and democracy in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, of blessed memory. Hamas, in contast, is a wholly charitable organization which has supported the