The Tel-Aviv based human rights organization, Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center, has written to the BBC, warning the British network not to succumb to the pressure it faces to broadcast a controversial advertisement to raise funds for  Gaza in the aftermath of the IDF operation. In the letter, the organization approved of the BBC’s decision not to go through with the advertising, and asserted that surrendering to public pressure might expose the network to lawsuits on behalf of terror victims.
 
The letter, signed by Shurat HaDin Director Nitsana Darshan-Leitner states that as Gaza was a territory dominated by an outlawed terrorist organization, it was impossible to know where the money transferred to Gaza would end up, and it was highly probable that with the inability to monitor the money, some of it would certainly fall into the hands of Hamas activists or other terrorist groups. In this state of affairs, the BBC could be found responsible for aiding and abetting a terrorist organization. Many goods and funds donated to Gaza in the past were appropriated by Hamas.
 
Moreover, the letter notes that aiding a terror organization could subject officials of the BBC to personal liability for the damages caused by that organization, and expose them to lawsuits filed by terror victims in Israel, the United States and other countries.
 
The Shurat HaDin missive also mentioned the numerous lawsuits it recently filed on behalf of hundreds of terror victims against institutions providing either material or financial support to terror organizations. Most of the lawsuits were filed in the USA, and amongst them were those filed against the Bank of China, American Express Bank, Lebanese Canadian Bank, UBS, etc.
 
The letter concludes by stating that the plaintiffs in these lawsuits were American-Israeli citizens who were injured by terror activities carried on by Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah, and who were entitled to file these suits in the USA for their damages, against institutions located in US territory.
 
Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center warned the network that it would consider filing a US lawsuit against the American BBC representative, in case the network succumbs to the pressure and agrees to aid the fundraising for Gaza, which might end up in terrorists’ hands.  A similar letter is being sent to SKY NEWS which has announced it also has declined to run the Gaza ads.
 
As we go to print, both the BBS and Sky have decided not to air appeals to raise funds for the Hamas-regime in Gaza.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)