AJC Applauds German Ban on Pro-Hamas Organization

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Jul 12, 2010, 06:48 ET

NEW YORK, July 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC applauded the decision of the German Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, to ban the Frankfurt-based International Humanitarian Aid Organization (IHH) because of its financial support for the Hamas regime in Gaza.

"We deeply appreciate Minister de Maiziere's courageous decision," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "By striking against an important source of funding for Hamas, and by declaring that support for a terrorist organization whose aim is Israel's destruction cannot be legitimate, Germany has again demonstrated that when it comes to Israel, its friendship is genuine and meaningful."

A statement from de Maiziere's office noted that the Hamas Charter "denies Israel's right to exist and promotes the use of violence to achieve its political and religious goals." The statement continued: "Organizations that operate from German soil, directly or indirectly, with the aim of fighting Israel's right to exist, have forfeited their right to freedom of association."

IHH in Germany has provided millions of dollars in direct aid to Hamas. Although the German group shares the same name as the IHH in Turkey, which sponsored the recent terror flotilla to Gaza, it denies any connection to the Turkish organization.

The decision to ban IHH follows the proscribing in Germany of two other organizations with financial ties to Hamas - al-Aqsa e.V. and YATIM-Kinderhilfe e.V.

SOURCE American Jewish Committee