When It Comes to Helping Hamas, Does "Charity" Begin At Home?

Islamic Relief Canada is the local branch of an international outfit that devotes itself to doling out aid to Muslims in need. As the IPT blog reports, however, Islamic Relief has some dubious associations that have gotten it into hot water in the UK:

Britain's largest bank, HSBC, no longer will do business with the charity Islamic Relief UK due to worries over its alleged terror ties. The Sunday Times of London reported last weekend that the banking giant decided to cut off the Muslim charity a year ago, but the move went unreported until now. 

Islamic Relief UK receives millions of pounds from the British Department of International Development, the Times reported. Israel banned the charity from the West Bank in 2014, accusing it of laundering money for Hamas. The Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs designated the group's parent organization, Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW), as a terrorist front in 2006. 

"The IRW provides support and assistance to Hamas's infrastructure. The IRW's activities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip are carried out by social welfare organizations controlled and staffed by Hamas operatives. The intensive activities of these associations are designed to further Hamas's ideology among the Palestinian population," Israel's Ministry for Foreign Affairs wrote. 

IRW also received a $50,000 check from Osama bin Laden in 1999 and received £60,000 – approximately $115,000 – from an Al-Qaida front group between 2003 and 2008. 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) blacklisted Islamic Relief in November 2014.

But that has nothing to do with Islamic Relief Canada projects, right? Like, say, its "Palestine Emergency Appeal," which is unpacked like this (my bolds):

...Palestinian authorities are running low on vital medical supplies. Recently increased restrictions on the transportation of goods across the border are making the situation even more desperate  and fuel for ambulances is scarce. Islamic Relief’s Gaza office has been established since 1998, and we have a long history of supplying emergency relief in times of crisis, including 2009 and 2012 conflicts. 

Call me crazy, but that sounds like an admission that the money donated to Islamic Relief Canada is not kept distinct and separate but is in fact part of the larger Islamic Relief Gaza effort, the one that aids and abets Hamas.

That being so, when can we expect a Canadian bank to take action a la HSBC?

I suspect the answer to that one is: never.

Update: A clue re the IRC mindset is displayed on this T-shirt, one of many for sale on its site:


The obvious question to pose: "LIBERATION" from what/whom and towards what end?

Update: From the Islamic Relief Worldwide site (my bolds):

Islamic Relief has worked in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 1994. We opened our Gaza City office in 1998.

In other words, there may be an Islamic Relief Worldwide and an Islamic Relief Canada, but there's only one Islamic Relief office in Gaza City.