A defense official related this evening to the Ministry of Defense's designation of six Palestinian organizations as terrorist entities.
"The order is the result of the joint work of the Bureau for Counter Terror Financing and the ISA, which was approved by legal authorities," the official said.
The official clarified that "Officials in the US administration were updated ahead of time on the intention for this designation and some intelligence was shared on the subject."
Regarding the the six institutions, he said that they "operate as an organized network under the leadership of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) organization, which plans and has executed a number of terror attacks."
"As part of an ISA investigation conducted between March and May 2021, details were revealed about how the organizations raise funds and employ them to assist the PFLP’s activities." the official explained. "The ISA investigation has documented a number of meetings of members of the PFLP, including terror operatives, which were held in the institutions detailed in the administrative order."
"Many convicted terrorists have been employed and financially compensated by the organizations," he added. "The organizations forged documents for the purpose of raising donations for the PFLP, under the guise of activities that did not take place. The organizations facilitated the recruitment of activists to the military arm of the PFLP. The organizations constitute a “lifeline” for the PFLP in the form of fundraising, money laundering and recruitment of activists."
According to the Defense Ministry, one of the organization’s members that was interrogated during the investigation: “The institutions belong to the PFLP – they are related to each other and constitute a lifeline for the organization both economically and structurally.”
The individual was referring to money laundering and financing activities for the PFLP and referred specifically to the six institutions detailed in the MOD’s order.
The Defense Ministry published examples of the organizations’ activities:
Union of Agriculture Work Committees:
- The individuals in charge of the committee on behalf of the PFLP until their arrest were A-Razek Farag and Samer Arbid, both members of the organization’s military arm that carried out terrorist attacks, including the terrorist attack that killed Israeli citizen, Rina Shnerb.
- The institution is involved in the acquisition of assets intended to generate capital for the PFLP
Bisan Center for Research and Development:
- The individual in charge of the institution until his arrest was Ataref Rimawi - a member of the military arm that carried out terrorist attacks, including the murder of Rina Shnerb.
- Meetings of military activists of the PFLP were held in the center’s offices
ADDAMEER Institution:
- This is an institution established by senior PFLP members for the purpose of supporting prisoners [convicted terrorists] and their families. Its establishment is intended to convey a message to PFLP activists that the organization does not abandon those who have carried out terrorist activities against Israel.
- The organization conveyed messages and instructions on behalf of the PFLP to prisoners.
- The institution’s offices are used for activities and meetings with PFLP leaders.