Israeli security sources believe that, despite yesterday’s terrorist bus bombing in Beersheva and the Kassem rockets being fired at Israel, the Palestinian terrorist organization are finding it more difficult than in the past to raise money for their activity. The US-led campaign against since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks is having an effect.
”Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the terrorist organizations are having more trouble raising money, but the restrictions being imposed are still inadequate,” a security source told “Globes”. He added that financial pressure was being exerted in several spheres: the US, Israel, Europe, and even in the Palestinian Authority (PA) itself.
It is believed that Hamas and Islamic Jihad need tens of millions of dollars a year. Their activity is not solely military; they also maintain a widespread civilian network, including mosques, schools, sports associations, women’s organizations, etc.
The terrorist organizations use this infrastructure to present themselves as an alternative to the PA, to disseminate propaganda and hatred against Israel, and for recruiting potential suicide terrorists.
Since the terrorist attacks in the US, the restrictions on raising money by Muslim terrorist organizations in the US have been made stricter. Under US pressure, the restrictions have been extended to Europe and Saudi Arabia. The US exerts constant pressure on Saudi Arabia to trace the exact address of donations, but extensive funds are channeled to military purposes, although on a smaller scale than in the past.
Compared with Hamas, the financial requirements of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with Fatah, are much smaller, since it does not have an extensive social network. The al-Aqsa Brigades receives money directly from both the PA and Hizbullah, which has assumed a dominant role in financing terrorist in the territories, mostly in cooperation with the al-Aqsa Brigades.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on September 1, 2004