Israel convicts former charity chief of helping Hamas

Mohammed Al Halabi led operations for one of the world's largest NGOs in Gaza

A left-wing activist holds a placard outside the Israeli court during the trial of Palestinian Mohammed Al Halabi, the Gaza director of World Vision, on Wednesday. AFP

The former head of a major NGO in Gaza was found guilty by an Israeli court on Wednesday of embezzling missions of dollars for Hamas.

Israel accused Palestinian Mohammed Al Halabi, who led Gaza operations for World Vision, of siphoning off the fortune to Hamas, which rules the Palestinian enclave.

Al Halabi was arrested in June 2016 and indicted in August that year. Israel refused to release him on bail and held him in custody for six years.

Al Halabi and the charity have staunchly denied any irregularity.

But the Israeli district court in Beersheba on Wednesday convicted Mr Halabi of belonging to a terrorist group and financing terrorist activities.

He was also found guilty of having "transmitted information to the enemy" and the possession of a weapon, according to a summary of the ruling seen by AFP.

Much of the evidence against Al Halabi was kept secret, with Israel claiming "security concerns", prompting his legal team to question the verdict's legitimacy.

His lawyer, Maher Hanna, called the judgment "totally political", saying it had "nothing to do with the facts" and that his client would appeal.

Sharon Marshall, senior director of public engagement for World Vision, expressed "extreme disappointment".

"In our view, there have been irregularities in the trial process and a lack of substantive and publicly available evidence," Ms Marshall said.

She said the charity supported Al Halabi's decision to appeal.

Left-wing activists and right-wing protesters argue outside the trial of Palestinian Mohammed Al Halabi, the Gaza director of World Vision, at a court in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba on Wednesday. AFP

"The accused played an active and significant role in Hamas activity and assisted Hamas for years in various ways, including through the transfer of money and materials which he knew would be used to finance terrorist acts," Wednesday's court ruling said.

"The charges against the accused point to extensive financial support and information-sharing with Hamas."

But Mr Hanna said some details of the accusations remained unclear.

"They can't define what money was given and from where it was given and how much was given … from which projects, from which government, from where this money came to him and how it was given to Hamas," he said.

"Until today, Mohammed is asking me, 'Did the judge say exactly what he accuses me of doing?'"

After Al Halabi's arrest, the Australian government, a major donor to World Vision, announced it was freezing funding to projects in the Gaza Strip.

A subsequent Australian government investigation found no evidence of embezzlement.

Right-wing protesters outside the Israeli court where Mohammed Al Halabi was tried on Wednesday. AFP

Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, said the ruling "compounds a miscarriage of justice".

"Holding Halabi for six years based largely on secret evidence has made a mockery of due process and the most basic fair trial provisions," Mr Shakir said.

"He should long ago have been released. To continue to cruelly detain him is profoundly unjust."

Wednesday's ruling was greeted with protests in Al Halabi's native Gaza, while outside the courthouse in Beersheba, a small group of Israelis demonstrated in favour of the conviction, waving Israeli flags and yelling at Al Halabi supporters as they left.

On Tuesday the UN Human Rights Office had expressed "serious concerns" over the proceedings, in particular regarding the "lack of evidence".

It spoke of "the widespread use of secret evidence" and "credible allegations of ill-treatment in detention".

Al Halabi's sentencing is expected in the coming weeks.

World Vision is a US-based Christian charity with almost 40,000 employees globally. It claims to be one of the largest NGOs in the world, with a particular focus on children.