The lawmakers from New York Stand against Charities funding Israeli Settlers

A movement of the state-level legislators of New York has resubmitted a bill which intends to bar any state-based charities from channelling tax-exempt contributions to the Israeli settlers and its military units functioning in Gaza. Zohran Mamdani and Jabari Brisport filed the “Not On OUR Dime! Act” to respond to reports that American residents have been fundraising for those involved in this war.

Introduced in 2020, the bill aims to permit the AG to bring legal actions and order such legal organisations to be shut down for receiving what is considered to be illegal charitable contributions that aid in politically undermining the State of Israel by funding the occupation of the West Bank and its illegal construction of settlements in the area. This way, it would also help to sue organisations that are supported by charities founded in New York that are the main culprits of harming Palestinians in their efforts to become settlers.

This gives the State Department permission to grant such an exemption to American military units working in the Gaza Strip, where, according to the Palestinian health ministry, Israeli forces have murdered over 35 thousand Palestinians.

Assembly member Mamdani remarked that the use of tax-exempt status was utterly inappropriate as ‘tax-exempt status is to encourage charitable giving not for a massacre and displacement of civilians’. He drew attention to the continuing violence, pointing out: “As Israeli settler violence escalates – evicting or massacring hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank – and the Israeli military embarks on the most significant displacement of people since World War Two in Gaza, New York State endorses and funds banking support for both.

Mamdani, who is one of the few Muslim members representing the state assembly, noted, “It’s the least that we can do is against tax breaks for genocide and an ever-growing list of war crimes”.

References cited included the New York State Assembly’s website, which revealed instances in which charities set up in that state assist the Israeli settlements while enjoying tax benefits granted to non-profit organisations. Over $60 million from these charities has allegedly been funnelled to right-wing settler groups, according to an investigation by Newsweek, including the New York Long Island-based One Israel Fund, which has raised $2 million for ‘thermal drones and surveillance cameras for settlers.

Sixty-six members of Congress opposed it in an open letter, saying the bill “distorts well-documented facts to take forward the agenda of the BDS movement against Jewish organisations. ” Nevertheless, the bill’s support is vital. Support for the Brooklyn and Queens bill has increased, with two more legislators, Senator Julia Salazar and Assembly Member Emily Gallagher, endorsing the bill in recent days.

Gallagher argued, “Those charities involved in violating international laws and fundamental rights deserve to be penalised by not exempting them from paying taxes in New York state.

Also, the new stand made by New York US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shows the growing support from the progressive caucus.

The results of passing the “Not on Our Dime! Act” in the State of Pennsylvania could significantly impact other states if they choose to examine the activities of non-profits and whether they are trying to effect change in accordance with domestic and international law. The bill is also well in line with international attention, focusing on sources of support for activities considered part of a conflict in the region.

Advocates of the legislation point out that this law is the only means to prevent the usage of charitable funds for violence and war, which sometimes are used to murder people and spread conflict and terror. They maintain that more rigid limitations for tax-exempt funds will lead to higher accountability and make it possible to bring charitable processes to ethical and legal standards.

At this crucial point in the discussion about the involvement of philanthropic giving in global violence, the new “Not on Our Dime! Act” has been resurrected. New York legislators, proponents, and opponents of the bill will be watching the progress of another legislative initiative to tighten regulations for tax-exempt organisations and further regulate the use of tax-deductible donations and the ethical obligations of charitable organisations.