Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank, page 1

Tax-Exempt Funds Aid Settlements in West Bank

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HaYovel is one of many groups in the United States using tax-exempt donations to help Jews establish permanence in the Israeli-occupied territories — effectively obstructing the creation of a Palestinian state, widely seen as a necessary condition for Middle East peace.

The result is a surprising juxtaposition: As the American government seeks to end the four-decade Jewish settlement enterprise and foster a Palestinian state in the West Bank, the American Treasury helps sustain the settlemen

A New York Times examination of public records in the United States and Israel identified at least 40 American groups that have collected more than $200 million in tax-deductible gifts for Jewish settlement in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the last decade. The money goes mostly to schools, synagogues, recreation centers and the like, legitimate expenditures under the tax law. 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.

In some ways, American tax law is more lenient than Israel’s. The outposts receiving tax-deductible donations — distinct from established settlements financed by Israel’s government — are illegal under Israeli law. And a decade ago, Israel ended tax breaks for contributions to groups devoted exclusively to settlement-building in the West Bank.

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Go figure, this is something that I would expect... Unfortunately. It's frustrating to know that not only are our tax-dollars used to oppress the Palestinian people, but now tax-exempt dollars are being used to fund and support illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, further oppressing the Palestinian people. I don't see how some Christians and some Jews could have such slewed thoughts about religion that they can sleep soundly at night, even though their actions are going directly against the teachings in both the bible and Torah (though more so of the bible). If there is a hell, I'm sure these people will rot in it.

“These people are filled with ideas that this is the Promised Land and their duty is to help the Jews,” said Izdat Said Qadoos of the neighboring Palestinian village. “It is not the Promised Land. It is our land.”

--airspoon

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