Israeli security officials accused a Gaza aid worker of diverting up to about fifty million US dollars of donations to the Islamist militant group Hamas.
It was alleged the money – which would have amounted to one of the biggest thefts of humanitarian funds in history – paid for rockets and tunnels used to attack Israel.
After exactly six years in detention, Mohammed Halabi sat solemnly in the dock at Beersheba District Court in southern Israel as he was found guilty of 13 charges, including belonging to a terrorist organization and transferring “considerable sums” to Hamas.
International human rights groups described the verdict as “a miscarriage of justice”, saying it was not supported by independent audits, with key evidence kept secret. END