U.S. Charities Use Tax-Exempt Funds for West Bank Expansion

[Joanne98]

For OpEdNews: Dave Lefcourt - Writer

A recent story in the New York Times titled, "Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank", was truly eye opening.

It centered on the tax-exempt status of donations that wind up funding questionable and illegal settlement activities in the West Bank.

The charities are all U.S. based and therefore legally tax exempt under our tax laws. But the funds, some $200 million over the last decade<1> are hardly scrutinized by the IRS. Much of the money goes "to schools, synagogues, recreation centers"but it has also paid for more legally questionable commodities: housing as well as guard dogs, bulletproof vests, rifle scopes and vehicles to secure outposts deep in occupied areas."<2>

One would think these U.S. based charities would all be sponsored by Jewish groups, particularly the Orthodox, as they openly support the Israeli settlements based on their belief that the West bank is part of "Greater Israel" granted to them by God himself some 3500 odd years ago.

Yet many of the charitable organizations<3> funding these settlement activities are fundamentalist Christian groups who literally believe in the 2nd coming of Christ and according to their reading of biblical prophecy are supposed to occur during the time of the restoration of the Jews in Israel on their ancient lands.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/U-S-Charities-Use-Tax-Exe-by-Dave-Lefcourt-100706-118.html

[Jefferson23]

1. Unfortunately, this has been going on for quite some time. n/t

[katandmoon]

2. I hope the joke is on them before their stupidity leads to WW3