On Tuesday, the director of Christian ministry World Vision’s work in Gaza was sentenced to 12 years in prison for allegedly transferring ministry funds to the terrorist organization Hamas. Mohammad el-Halabi, who has already spent six years in prison as his trial waged on, plans to appeal the decision.
In June, a court in Beersheba found him guilty of terrorism charges, citing classified information that has been kept from the public. The guilty verdict and a confession el-Halabi made to investigators under duress also remain classified.
In a statement, World Vision called the sentence “deeply disappointing and in sharp contrast to the evidence and facts of the case,” adding: “World Vision emphatically condemns any and all acts of terrorism or support for such activities. We reject any attempt to divert humanitarian resources or exploit the work of aid organisations operating anywhere, and we do not see evidence of these things in this case.”
Israel’s prosecutor said…
