Union of Good
Encyclopedia
The Union of Good , also known as the Charity Coalition, is an umbrella organization consisting of over 50 Islamic charities and funds which funnel money to organizations belonging to Hamas
, which currently rules the territory of the Gaza Strip
. Hamas, which characterizes itself as an "Islamic resistance movement against Israeli occupation" is also on the US State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The Union of Good was blocked by Israel from operating in the West Bank and Gaza in 2002, then banned in 2008. The United States Treasury designates the Union of Good as supporting terrorism under Executive Order 13224
in November 2008. It was founded in May 2001 and is based in Saudi Arabia
.
, an islamist cleric close to the Muslim Brotherhood
. Initially he founded a "Campaign of 101 Days" in October 2000, immediately after the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada
, with the involvement of the Hamas leadership.
for food packages, school-equipment, civic buildings and support for families of people "martyred" in suicide bombings or fighting Israeli forces.
In 2009 the Charity Commission for England and Wales, after an investigation, ordered Interpal
to dissociate itself from membership of the Union of Good.
as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist
group, which allows the US to block the assets of foreign individuals and entities that commit, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
, which currently rules the territory of the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. Hamas, which characterizes itself as an "Islamic resistance movement against Israeli occupation" is also on the US State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The Union of Good was blocked by Israel from operating in the West Bank and Gaza in 2002, then banned in 2008. The United States Treasury designates the Union of Good as supporting terrorism under Executive Order 13224
Executive Order 13224
Executive Order 13224 is an executive order signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on September 23, 2001 as a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks....
in November 2008. It was founded in May 2001 and is based in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
.
Organizational structure
The Union is chaired by Yusuf Al-QaradawiYusuf al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi is a controversial Egyptian Islamic theologian. He is best known for his programme, ash-Shariah wal-Hayat , broadcast on Al Jazeera, which has an estimated audience of 60 million worldwide...
, an islamist cleric close to the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
. Initially he founded a "Campaign of 101 Days" in October 2000, immediately after the outbreak of the Al-Aqsa Intifada
Al-Aqsa Intifada
The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Oslo War, was the second Palestinian uprising, a period of intensified Palestinian-Israeli violence, which began in late September 2000...
, with the involvement of the Hamas leadership.
Activities
The organization has provided funding to Hamas charities in the Gaza StripGaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
for food packages, school-equipment, civic buildings and support for families of people "martyred" in suicide bombings or fighting Israeli forces.
Member organizations
According to the Israeli government, following are some of the prominent societies and funds that form the Coalition:- International Islamic Relief OrganizationInternational Islamic Relief OrganizationThe International Islamic Relief Organization, , is a charity based in Saudi Arabia. It is a member of The Conference of NGOs, where it serves on the board...
, IIRO (Saudi Arabia) - Holy Land Foundation (US)
- Al-Aqsa Islamic Charitable Society Yemen, headed by Mohammed Ali Hassan Al-MoayadMohammed Ali Hassan Al-MoayadSheik Mohammed Ali Hassan Al-Moayad is a Yemeni cleric who was convicted in 2005 on U.S. federal charges of conspiring to provide material support and resources to Hamas and Al Qaeda. His conviction was overturned in the Court of Appeals in 2008. He then pleaded guilty to conspiring to raise...
- InterpalInterpalInterpal is the working name for the British charity Palestinian Relief and Development Fund founded in 1994 which states that it is a non-political charity to alleviate problems faced by Palestinians, and focused solely on the provision of relief and development aid to the poor and needy...
(UK) - IHH (İnsani Yardım Vakfı)IHH (Insani Yardim Vakfi)IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation or İHH is an Islamic Turkish NGO active in more than 100 countries.Established in 1992 and officially registered in Istanbul in 1995, İHH...
(Turkey) - "Palästinensische Vereinigung in Österreich, PVOE" /"Palästinensischer Humanitärer Verein, PHV" (Austria)
- World Assembly of Muslim YouthWorld Assembly of Muslim Youth"We need thousands of these organizations all over the world. According to the Americans themselves, there are more than 1.5 million organizations in the US. When you look at the Muslim world, there are no more than 50,000...
- al-Aqsa FoundationAl-Aqsa FoundationThe al-Aqsa Foundation is an international charity with alleged ties to the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas. The head office of the foundation was located in Germany until it was closed by the German authorities in July 2002...
- Muslim HandsMuslim HandsMuslim Hands - United for the Needy is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty. The organisation was established in 1993 in Nottingham, UK...
In 2009 the Charity Commission for England and Wales, after an investigation, ordered Interpal
Interpal
Interpal is the working name for the British charity Palestinian Relief and Development Fund founded in 1994 which states that it is a non-political charity to alleviate problems faced by Palestinians, and focused solely on the provision of relief and development aid to the poor and needy...
to dissociate itself from membership of the Union of Good.
Terrorism designation
The Union of Good is designated by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets ControlOffice of Foreign Assets Control
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury under the auspices of the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S...
as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist is a designation authorized under U.S. Executive Order 13224 , among other executive orders, and Title 31, Parts 595, 596, and 597 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, among other U.S. laws and regulations. SDGT designations are administered and enforced...
group, which allows the US to block the assets of foreign individuals and entities that commit, or pose a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism.