Israel’s COGAT, Coordinator of Government Activities in the ‘Territories’, Major General Yoram Halevi, sent a sharp and unusual letter Thursday to leaders of the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), demanding the immediate cessation of all aid, fuel, or other support to Turkey’s IHH organization. Israel designated IHH a terror organization and the group was involved in promoting the Hamas terror flotillas to Gaza in the past.
The Israeli demand comes after intelligence received by COGAT indicating the UN agency transferred fuel inside Gaza directly to members of the terror organization. In his official letter, Halevi emphasized that IHH has been defined in Israel as a terror organization since 2008, and that any assistance to its activities constitutes a serious violation of Israeli law that could carry significant consequences.
Israel is making clear it will not allow any attempt to exploit the humanitarian aid mechanism to strengthen terror organizations, whether directly or indirectly. “The State of Israel views with great severity the transfer of resources to entities connected to Hamas under humanitarian cover,” officials said. They stressed that aid is intended solely to assist the civilian population, and any deviation from procedures will be dealt with to the fullest extent.