Israeli court jails World Vision head in Gaza

An Israeli court on Tuesday sentenced a Gaza aid worker to 12 years in prison after he was found guilty of transferring funds to Hamas in a controversial case that has been criticised by human rights groups.

Mohammad al-Halabi, head of Gaza operations for World Vision, a respected Christian aid organisation, will serve another six years in prison having already been in detention for that amount of time.

Mr Al-Halabi’s lawyer, Maher Hana, said he would appeal the conviction to Israel’s supreme court, noting that his client had turned down several plea bargain offers on principle, even though they would have allowed him to walk free.

“It’s inconceivable,” he said of the length of the sentence. “They insist that injustice will persist throughout the whole process.”

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The prosecution said it was also considering an appeal, believing the sentence to be too light.

Mr Al-Halabi has denied the charges and accused the prosecution and Israeli intelligence of manufacturing them and coercing a confession in order to undermine humanitarian organisations in Gaza.

World Vision said the sentence stood in sharp contrast to the evidence and the facts of the case.

“The arrest, six-year trial, unjust verdict and this sentence are emblematic of actions that hinder humanitarian work in Gaza and the West Bank,” the group said. “It adds to the chilling impact on World Vision and other aid or development groups working to assist Palestinians.”

Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, described the 12-year sentence against Mr al-Halabi as a profound miscarriage of justice.

“Holding al-Halabi for six years based on secret evidence, which multiple investigations rejected, made a mockery of due process. Detaining him for six more is just cruel and inhumane. He should long ago have been released,” he said.

Mr al-Halabi was arrested in 2016 and has been in detention ever since.

He was convicted in June of transferring almost €50 million in funds to Hamas, the Islamist militant group that rules Gaza.

The Beersheba district court judges said his actions were highly sophisticated and his confession was “coherent, specific and included unique details which he could not have concocted on the spot”.

Israel claims Mr al-Halabi had been recruited in 2004 by the Hamas military wing and was sent by his handlers to World Vision in order to “gain influence at an international organisation”.

Israel further claims the funds he transferred were used by Hamas to purchase weapons and material for constructing tunnels used by Hamas militants.

Mr al-Halabi’s defence team claimed their client’s confession was made under duress and they noted that nearly all the evidence remained classified for security reasons.

World Vision has an annual budget of almost €3 billion, operates in 100 countries and employs tens of thousands of people.

The allegations prompted major donors, including some western governments, to freeze funding, prompting the organisation to close its Gaza office.

The charity, which focuses on helping children, said an independent audit found no evidence of wrongdoing or of funds missing.