Israel Moves to Seize Hamas Funds in Europe
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has signed administrative memorandums allowing the confiscation of funds paid to five senior Hamas officials working in Europe, amounting to more than $1 million, according to Israel Hayom newspaper.
The new step is part of an ongoing campaign by the security establishment in Israel, in partnership with the General Security Service and the Israeli Bureau for Combating Terrorist Financing, aiming to thwart the Hamas movement’s organizational infrastructure and financial resources within the European Union (EU).
The memorandums claimed that these senior officials worked within the framework of a foreign branch of Hamas, led by Khaled Meshaal, to raise funds and gain public support.
Israel says hundreds of thousands of dollars were transferred to these people to promote Hamas’ activities within the EU.
Israeli media reported that Hamas activists reside in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Italy.
In the past few years, the Israeli security services have increased monitoring of the routes and transfers of Hamas funds, including money transferred to the movement in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and abroad.
The army intelligence monitored Palestinian money exchangers in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip and thwarted hundreds of money transfers.
Israel closed accounts, seized assets in West Bank banks, killed a money exchanger in Gaza, closed institutions, and began following up the movement’s money transfers from abroad.
About a week ago, investigators in the Netherlands arrested a man and his daughter on charges of sending $5.4 million to Hamas in violation of EU sanctions, according to the public prosecution office.
The man, 55, and his old daughter, 22, from Leidschendam near The Hague, were arrested on June 22 on suspicion of providing extensive financing to Hamas.
Investigators found the money during house searches in Leidschendam, a business in Rotterdam, and a bank account of about 750,000 euros.
The public prosecution office said the pair are suspected of sending about 5.5 million euros ($6 million) to bodies “related to the organization Hamas, which was sanctioned in 2003.”
The father and daughter “are also suspected of participating in a criminal organization whose purpose is to support Hamas financially,” the prosecution statement said. They remain in custody. Their names were not released, in line with Dutch privacy regulations.
The European Union blacklisted Hamas after the September 11, 2001 attacks that targeted New York and Washington.
Israel works closely with the US and Europe to prosecute the movement’s funding sources.
Source » aawsat
