World Vision trial continues
A World Vision employee on trial in Israel for passing Australian funds and charitable donations to Hamas is now expected to be found in guilty despite Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issuing a statement that a review found “nothing to suggest any diversion of government funds”.Mohammed El Halabi was arrested last August.
El Habibi
J-Wire received a statement from DFAT which pointed out: “DFAT reviewed the management of its funding to World Vision in the Palestinian Territories. The review uncovered nothing to suggest any diversion of government funds.
We have no further comment on Australia’s review of our management of our funding to World Vision in the Palestinian Territories. Australia’s funding to World Vision in the Palestinian Territories remains suspended until we have considered the outcomes of the court case against Mr El Halabi and reviews being undertaken by World Vision Australia and World Vision International into this issue.”
World Vision’s Tim Costello told ABC “we want to see the evidence.”
The ABC reported that Mr Halabi accused the Israeli authorities of torturing him whilst in custody. World Vision was reported by ABC the El Hababi is a trusted employee.
But Australia’s ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma sent this tweet following the ABC report.
According to Ambassador Sharma, the Israeli court will El Halibi’s innocence or guilt.
Judge Nasser Abu Taha held a mediation session between El Halibi’s lawyers and the Israel prosecution and reports that El Habibi has little chance of being found not guilty.
J-Wire asked DFAT if the review include a forensic field audit tracing the end use of the funds,
They responded: “We have nothing further to add to our previous statement. ”
Well, obviously DFAT would do all it could to come out of this squeaky clean, Paul. They would much prefer all to think that our funding is going where it should and that they are fully in control of monitoring it to make sure that it does.That DFAT found nothing to indicate any awareness on their part of any wrong-doing by El-Habibi, is to make a statement of limited meaning. It’s not nearly enough to indicate that there was actually no wrong-doing, so the Israeli court process should certainly go ahead to determine proof or otherwise.
Or should we all continue to admire the Emperor with no clothes and disregard the truth that might show otherwise?
What absolute impertinence and abuse of judicial process by Israel! What nerve of the Israelis to persist with the judicial process when DFAT has found that an employee of one of its fundees is as clean as the driven snow! (Or should it be driven slush).
I have long since stopped donating to World Vision because of their political bias and also because of Tim Costello. A brother who campaigns against his own brother doesn’t inspire me.
Am I correct in understanding that the court case is yet to be held?
If this is correct, surely it is a little strange for judge Nasser Abu Taha to say: “El Habib has little chance of being found not lllguilty”?
Regards.