Gifting Terror

This will be presented in 3 parts:
Part 1- Capture of the Helen Suzman Foundation
Part 2 – GoG and Dr Sooliman in South Africa
Part 3 – GoG and Dr Sooliman in Gaza and beyond
……………….
Part 1 – CAPTURE OF THE HELEN SUZMAN FOUNDATION
During the era of President Zuma in South Africa, widespread corruption was uncovered implicating top structures of government. It became known as state capture. This term refers to the improperly obtained benefits and influence by private individuals and companies doing business with the government and dishonesty and abuse of power of government officials and politicians. A judicial Commission of Enquiry was conducted which confirmed these findings in its report.

The Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF) was established in South Africa to honour the and perpetuate the legacy of Helen Suzman. She was a lone parliamentary opponent of Apartheid for many years and represented the liberal democratic tradition. The core mission of the HSF is to promote and protect constitutional democracy and the rule of law. She supported the State of Israel and indeed was a Jewess herself. Capture has a wider meaning today in South Africa and refers to any improper undermining of organisations from within due to the infiltration of leaders who have incompatible and improper personal or ideological agendas. HSF is revealing this trend.

The writer’s Times of Israel blog (23 October 2024) was an open letter to HSF querying the choice of guest speaker Dr Imitiaz Sooliman – founder of Gift of the Givers Foundation (GoG), as inappropriate. Although well known and honoured as a humanitarian, several concerns were raised. What business did an organisation that is mandated to promote and protect constitutional democracy have, giving a platform to an Islamist Hamas terror supporting bigot who holds the rule of law in contempt while he upholds religious Quranic law? His thinly concealed antisemitism too will be considered in part 3 of this blog .

Dr Sooliman himself declared he did not obey the law of men or international law and openly declared that he broke the law. This is in complete conflict with the values of HSF and its stated goal to uphold the rule of law. A person who has no respect for the Constitution of South Africa does not respect the Bill of Rights that is ensconsed in it. Media responses were shrill in objecting to so-called baseless unproven allegations made in the writer’s open letter but this cardinal fact stands unchallenged. Dr Sooliman’s unsuitability and flagrant defiance of liberal democracy was simply swept under the carpet by the HSF management. “The HSF is not in a position to determine the merits of the allegations made against Dr Sooliman, but he has assured us and stated publicly that the allegations are untrue and without substance,” HSF said in its only public statement issued on 28 October.

Image: Gift of the Givers Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19sJKhz3CK/

The HSF speech took place in Johannesburg on 14 November 2024. Present in the audience were supporters of Dr Sooliman wearing Pro Palestinian/ BDS t-shirts. Helen Suzman even at the height of apartheid did not support boycotts of South Africa. An incongruous spectacle totally inimical to the HSF.

Concerning too is the background of Naseema Fakir the recently appointed executive director of HSF. A human rights lawyer who is described as having a particular focus on transitional justice, migration & refugee policy, and environmental law. She spent over a decade at the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), including a role as Regional Director of the Johannesburg office . During her stint at the LRC, a public interest law firm, she represented BDS in a High Court case. The writer who also worked for the LRC is personally familiar with the kind of cases undertaken by the LRC. Its vision is to work towards “a democratic, accountable, and transparent society in which equitable and inclusive access to justice, dignity, and human rights are lived realities for all.” The LRC performs free legal services and is intended for those who cannot afford or have no access to law. The BDS is a funded international organisation devoted to boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel and is outlawed in the USA. It has no direct role in democratic or constitutional upliftment of disadvantaged South Africans and representing BDS is not within the core mandate of the LRC. It certainly appears that Fakir has welcomed BDS to the HSF.

Disquieting questions were asked in several South African media about Dr Sooliman’s ideological support of Hamas in South Africa and Gaza and the possible funding support for Hamas. Having pointed to the previous funding by Dr Sooliman to the Al Aqsa Foundation and the organisational links of Gift of the Givers with Union of Good, both Al Aqsa Foundation and Union of the Good being outlawed terror funding organisations in the USA and other countries, the open letter concluded “This means that Gift of the Givers may be directly or indirectly financially supporting Hamas.” The chorus of “no proof” rings hollow in the light of terror funding malfeasance already admitted by Dr Sooliman. Predictably the media responses were ad hominem attacks and demonization of Zionists rather than reason and facts. Troubling was the unquestioning and gullible acceptance of Dr Sooliman as a noble and caring humanitarian.

There is no doubt great merit in the medical and disaster relief services which GoG perform, but the underlying Hamas terrorist sympathies of Dr Sooliman taint this organisation. Geopolitical risks and far reaching legal implications will be considered in part 3 of this blog.

Recently the Washington Outsider Center for Information Warfare and another body The Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) have published important critical investigative research shedding new light on radical Islamist activities and particularly Hamas support at the southern tip of Africa. An intriguing part of the ISGAP research paper, refers to a leaked previously classified intelligence report of 1998 by South Africa’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA). The unusual insight contained in the leaked NIA intelligence report is extremely revealing. South African National Intelligence in 1998 was aware that Al-Aqsa Foundation was synonymous with Hamas. At that time, Sooliman was better known for his general humanitarian relief work. Only now is his pro Hamas activism coming clearly into focus. The leaked NIA report establishes a direct and disturbing link between Al Aqsa Foundation and Hamas. The association to Sooliman flows from his involvement with Al Aqsa. This article looks closer at this unwholesome relationship.

Financial transparency risk
GoG is a registered non-profit organisation (NPO) and is subject to rigorous South African legislation requiring NPO’s to file financial statements yearly with the Department of Social Development. There has been no financial transparency by Dr Sooliman subsequent to the open letter despite media reporting that Dr Sooliman stated he “could account for every cent it received and donated”. No one has actually publicly claimed to have seen any financial records of GoG. The organisation is large by any reckoning and open accounting is a matter of public interest . No financial records of GoG have been made accessible for inspection. South Africa has rigorous legislation regarding transparency of information called the Promotion of Access to Information Act. It is not known whether the GoG financial statements and reports of GoG required by the governmental department have indeed been lodged. Dr Sooliman has completely avoided any mention of this. These are public documents which should be freely accessible. Undoubtedly investigations under the access to information legislation are bound to take place in South Africa.

The Financial Action Task Force
In 2023 South Africa was grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force , an international body which monitors money laundering and terror funding . This has far reaching negative consequences for foreign investment in South Africa. A recommendation was also made that South Africa develop an NPO Terrorist Funding Risk Assessment. The Department of Welfare in an effort to comply has developed an Action Plan under which it announced on 13 November 2024. Its intention is to de-register non compliant nonprofit organisations. It is not known if GoG is under official scrutiny. Such scrutiny under the Action Plan is needed. In 2003, the South African government granted GoG R60m (approximately $3 333 000m ) – the only charity in the history of South Africa to receive such a sum. It was supposedly to roll out 204 000 emergency food parcels in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. There is no record as to how or where the money was spent. The GoG has amassed over R6 billion since its inception, amid backing from major corporations and public donations. The foundation continues to grow in both scope and impact.
The destination of funds must raise an international concern and warrant investigation by western countries, particularly as Dr Sooliman does not consider himself bound by any law except Koranic law. A recipe for brazen violation of accepted accounting norms and the international regulation of terror funding .