The anti-Israel organization Jewish Voice for Peace has agreed to pay a fine of $677,634 to the American government after it faced accusations of defrauding the government, the Jewish News Syndicate reported. Jewish Voice for Peace defines itself as an organization that unites "Jews organizing toward Palestinian liberation and Judaism beyond Zionism." JVP received a loan of $338,817 under the Paycheck Protection Act Program, which was launched in 2020 to provide assistance to companies affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the closures of the economy. Political and lobbying organizations were not eligible for the loan, leading to the fraud accusation against the anti-Israel group. JVP claimed in the loan application that it was not an “entity that is organized for research or for engaging in advocacy in areas such as public policy or political strategy or otherwise describes itself as a think tank in any public document. An investigation found that JVP engages primarily in political activity. Related articles: Jewish anti-Zionists can’t be part of our ‘big tent’ community Jewish Voices for Peace activists storm New York Stock Exchange 'Death to Israel' is a moral imperative U. of Maryland revokes permit for pro-Palestinian Arab event JVP agreed to pay twice the amount it borrowed. Had it been found guilty, it would have been required to pay three times the sum of the loan, in addition to “lost interest, along with civil penalties for each false certification made in the loan application and forgiveness application, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia reported. U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves said, “The Paycheck Protection Act Program existed to help businesses survive a devastating global pandemic. When business owners unfairly drain those funds—either by not reading the eligibility requirements or disregarding them—they put the entire program at risk. In the end, those who are harmed are the businesses that actually qualified for and needed the money, and the taxpayers who funded the program.” In September, the JVP chapter at the University of Michigan published a message in support of the complete elimination of the State of Israel. The published statement read: "'Death to Israel,' is not just a threat. It is a moral imperative and the only acceptable solution. If only this entire colonialist settlement would burn to ashes forever." In a statement released by JVP on October 7, the Hamas massacre was described as, "Palestinian fighters from Gaza carried out an unprecedented attack." The organization further stated that "oppressed people everywhere will inevitably seek and achieve their freedom. We all deserve liberation, safety, and equality. The only way to get there is by uprooting the sources of violence, beginning with our (American) government's partnerships."
