The recent revocation of the Jewish National Fund’s charitable status may be the most important Palestine solidarity victory in Canadian history. The grassroots win is a boost to the global Stop the JNF campaign and efforts to disrupt Canadian charity assistance to Israel.
On August 10 the federal government officially revoked the charitable status of an organization that’s had many prime ministers, ministers and senators attend their events. Days before the revocation was made official former PM Stephen Harper headlined JNF fundraisers in Windsor and London, Ontario. Held across the country, the organization’s galas draw thousands of well healed and connected individuals each year. JNF Canada has partnered with provincial governments and has raised over a quarter billion dollars since 2003.
After 57 years of making all Canadians subsidize its racism, support for West Bank colonies and the Israeli military, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) finally withdrew the JNF’s ability to give its donors tax receipts, which often amount to half (or more) of donations. Within a year the JNF must wind up its charitable operations and dispose of its $30 million in assets.
In its letter explaining the revocation, the CRA highlights a slew of issues with JNF’s operations. Alongside a multitude of accounting issues, the revenue agency criticizes JNF Canada’s assistance to its explicitly racist parent organization in Israel. The CRA letter notes, “Our review identified that the Organization’s resources appear to have been applied to JNF’s non-charitable projects in the Occupied Territories, and to supporting the Israeli armed forces, and not to activities furthering its charitable purposes. It is our position that the Organization has operated as a conduit for JNF [Israel], a non-qualified donee, in contravention of the Act.” (more...)
Revoking JNF tax status a step to ending genocide subsidies
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