Oxfam, like progressive organizations everywhere, has a noble-sounding mission. In Oxfam’s case, somehow their goal of abolishing poverty includes funding terrorists who seek to destroy Israel.
Tom Wilson of Commentary Magazine wrote yesterday that “not only is Oxfam guilty of highly politicized moves against Israel,” he writes, but “Oxfam also stands accused of indirectly supporting the Palestinian terrorist organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).” PFLP conducts “terrorist activities against Israeli civilians,” as revealed in a letter sent to Oxfam by the Israel Law Center Thursday.
The New York Times described the PFLP as
“a hard-line Marxist group that shocked the world with a campaign of airline hijackings and bombings in the late 1960s and early 1970s…”
The groups in question: the Union of Health Workers Committees, which Oxfam has referred to as a “partner,”) and the Union of Agricultural Workers Committees (also a “partner“), are lovely sounding names for what are “essentially satellite groups of the PFLP who then channel that funding back to the terror group itself.”
Oxfam’s anti-semitic tendencies were on full display during the row with actress Scarlett Johansson, who was previously a “global ambassador” for the organization, resigned after Oxfam disagreed with the actresses’ support of SodaStream, an Israeli company.
In a statement, Oxfam said in part,
“Ms. Johansson’s role promoting the company SodaStream is incompatible with her role as an Oxfam Global Ambassador… Oxfam is opposed to all trade from Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.”
The grandson of Oxfam founder, Hubert Murray, called Johansson an “ambassador for oppression” in an open letter. Hubert Murray is also a strong believer in the boycott of Israel.
Oxfam, by the way, posted a press release this week pushing the 2014 G20 summit leaders to “reform” international tax law, which is code for “squeeze more money out of international corporations” as reported at Tavern Keepers. The press release calls for the leaders to “take necessary steps to reform the international taxation system to stop wealthy tax dodgers…” in true class warfare form, and further declared,
“Much of this money should be spent on services such as health and education in developing countries, helping to lift people out of poverty and reduce their dependence on aid.”
Perhaps Oxfam believes that they would be better stewards of the money earned by privately held organizations.
Speaking of Oxfam, it is a “key recipient” of funding by Secretary of State John Kerry’s wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry.