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World Vision
World News

Fit World Vision aid with cameras and microphones, urges Israeli expert

by Antony Bushfield

Professor Gerald Steinberg is the founder of NGO Monitor - Watching the Watchers and teaches in the Department of Political Studies at Bar Ilan University.

He wants all aid sent by World Vision to be tracked after it emerged a senior employee had been arrested, accused of establishing a "systematic and sophisticated mechanism" to divert at least £38 million over the years to Hamas.

The group rules Gaza and has been blamed for several attacks on Israel.

Shin Bet

Mohammad El-Halabi

Authorities say Mohammed el-Halabi created fictitious humanitarian projects and increased costs in other projects so he could send the money to the terrorists.

World Vision, which is based in the US but has teams operating out of the UK too, said it was "shocked" by the allegations.

Australia and Germany have suspended their aid to the charity while investigations take place. The UK Government told Premier it was not currently providing World Vision with cash.

Professor Steinberg said world leaders should be careful before reintroducing funding and require proof the aid was being used properly.

"Technology for video and audio is very cheap. It won't give full guarantees, but it makes it harder to steal aid," he told Australian Jewish News.

DFID - UK Department for International Development

World Vision insists it is fully audited and nothing has been proven yet but Professor Steinberg said: "Simply saying that we are audited does not equal transparency."

World Vision International CEO Kevin Jenkins said: "As a professional Christian, humanitarian organisation, we take our commitment to truth and transparency very seriously.

"World Vision is seeking to understand the truth behind the allegations laid against Mohammad El Halabi. World Vision condemns any diversion of funds from any humanitarian organisation and strongly condemns any act of terrorism or support for those activities.

"If any of these allegations are proven to be true, we will take swift and decisive action. Unfortunately, we still have not seen any of the evidence.
 
"Our work speaks for itself. World Vision has been working with children, families and communities in the Holy Land since 1975 and has five offices with 150 staff across Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza benefitting around 560,000 people."

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