American Jewish groups are asking the State Department to designate a Turkish relief group, a main organizer of last month’s Gaza flotilla, as a terrorist organization.
In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Anti-Defamation League said that the Insani Yardim Vakfi (Humanitarian Relief Fund, or IHH) has “well-documented ties to Hamas.”
The ADL also has written to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner urging his department to add IHH to its lists of terror-sponsoring organizations, which triggers restrictions on business and banking transactions with Americans.
The American Jewish Committee also urged the State Department to investigate ties between IHH and terrorist organizations on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist groups.
Meanwhile, B’nai B’rith Canada is working to get 10,000 signatures on a petition asking the Canadian government to designate IHH as a terrorist entity in Canada.
IHH purchased the $1.8 million Mavi Marmara, the largest ship in last month’s Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by Israel in international waters. — jta