NY pols fight over charity bill linked to Israeli-Palestinian dispute
New York state lawmakers are embroiled over the latest violent battles in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Pro-Palestinian Democratic socialist lawmakers Zohran Mamdani of Queens and Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn have introduced the “Not on Our Dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act” — at barring New York-based charitable groups from engaging in “unauthorized support of Israeli settlement activity.”
The legislation, if approved, would give the state attorney general the authority to revoke a charity’s tax-exempt status, if involved in aiding the expansion of Israel-only settlements that displace Palestinians. The dispute over settlements of published reports such as the Palestinian-leaning Intercept.
“These settlements play an important role in entrenching Israel’s apartheid rule over millions of Palestinians who are forced to live in enclaves surrounded by checkpoints and with a separate set of rules and rights based on their ethnicity,” Assemblyman Mamdani and Senator Brisport said in a memo in support of their bill.
“Many of those who lead the settlement enterprise, including its most harmful and radical elements, are actually funded by organizations here in New York State. Although they are in direct violation of international and human rights law, the organizations masquerade as charities. This allows them to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to ethnic cleansing while enjoying tax-exempt status in New York, meaning that New York State is effectively subsidizing these atrocities,” the lawmakers said.
But 25 pro-Israel lawmakers sent out a j🅘oint letter slamming the bill as dead on arrival and claimed, if approved, it would punish Jewish organizations that provide aid to the needy and emergency care for victims of terrorism.
“This bill targets them all. In response, we say `Not on our watch!,'” said the letter obtained by The Post, drafted by Queens Democrat Assembly members Daniel Rosenthal and Nily Rozic.
“This bill is a ploy to demonize Jewish charities with connections to Israel. It was only introduced to antagonize pro-Israel New Yorkers and further sow divisions within the Democratic Party,” the pro-Israel lawmakers added.
Among the other signatories of the letter include Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte, chairwoman of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, and Helene Weinstein and Jeffrey D🅰inowitz, chairpersons of the ways and means and codes committees, respectively.
“We look forward to seeing the supporters of this legislation condemn last week’s attack from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad targeting civilians and recognizing Israel’s right to exist,” the pro-Israeli lawmakers said.
The me🥂re introduction of the bill is a game-changer in the Democratic-led Assembly and Senate, where support for Israel has historic♋ally gone unquestioned.
But democratic socialist lawmakers elected in recent election cycles have sided with the Palestinians in the dis𒊎pute over land wit💃h Israel.
Mamdani, in a statem🐟ent to the Post Tuesday night, defended his bill and said legitimate New York-based charities have nothi♌ng to worry about.
“The Not on Our Dime Act only addresses charities that are found guilty of funding violations of the Geneva Convention. Characterizing an effort to bring NY in line with longstanding US foreign policy as purely being motivated by a desire to antagonize pro-Israel New Yorkers and sow division in the Democratic Party is not only disingenuous, it reveals how little regards there is for international law when it comes to Palestinians,” Mamdani said.
“Organizations, including Jewish organizations that feed the poor, provide emergency medical care, and clothe orphans take up noble causes for which New York State should provide the benefits of charitable status. This is why the bill does not apply to such groups. The rhetorical tactics employed by this letter to suggest otherwise is an attempt to avoid the issue at hand: settlements.”
He insisted the measure would only impact organizations found to be supporting activities “in violation of international law, such as aiding and abetting the demolition and arson of Palestinian schools, homes and agricultural land.”
“Funding colonialism and violence is not charitable activity, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in our fight to make that explicit in NY state law,” Mamdani said.
