According to Yehudit Barsky, director of AJCommittee’s division on Middle East and international terrorism, had they succeeded in doing so, it would have limited the amount of money available to pay the judgment awarded to Boim’s parents.
In addition to speaking at a formal dinner for the group, Ashrawi was hosted by local Jews, including some with long records of Jewish activism, for a fundraiser specifically aimed at raising Jewish money. These Jews say that past statements of their new Palestinian friends are irrelevant to the obligation to give tzedakah as well as to build bridges for peace.
But how can anyone trust Palestinian “charities” that are compromised by their terrorist connections to carry out the noble intentions of their Jewish donors?
While the impulse to help needy kids is commendable, Jews who are solicited to give to groups such as this need to think carefully about the ultimate destination of funds raised by such persons, and whether or not better ways exist to help the Palestinians in the long and short term.
One suggestion might be for Palestinians to stop educating the younger generations to hate Jews, and to cease promoting terrorism and suicide bombing as the kind of fate a child ought to embrace. If they did, there would be no need for them to ask for alms from Jews – who are, ironically enough, the intended victims of such violence.