[image:giftofthegivers/x]

Scores of people have come out in support of Gift of the Givers after a Jewish human rights lawyer claimed that they were donating money to ‘groups blacklisted as terrorist organisations by the US government’.

The Jewish human rights lawyer made the allegations in an open letter, saying that ‘Gift of the Givers was the second non-profit organisation founded by Sooliman, the first being the South African branch of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Al Aqsa Foundation, established in 1991 which was committed to “the destruction of Israel”’.

Lawrence Nowosenetz, former chairperson of the Jewish Board of Deputies said that Gift of the Givers’ Dr Imtiaz Sooliman donates funds to the Al Aqsa Foundation as well as to the Union of Good, which was blacklisted by the US Treasury in 2008.

“This means Gift of the Givers may be directly or indirectly financing Hamas.”

The Citizen reports that the claims have resulted in hundreds of people defending Gift of the Givers. Perhaps used to dealing with disasters, Dr Sooliman also responded, saying that the ‘open letter’ has actually raised Gift of the Givers’ profile.

“Gift of the Givers would like to thank lawyer Lawrence, Times of Israel, Feinberg and the SA Jewish Report, Alec, Marika, Biznews, and farmer Willem for the incredible escalation in our profile both locally and internationally on platforms we didn’t even know existed. This has resulted in a flood of current and new donors wanting to support our various causes.”

“You have benefited the Palestinian cause immensely. We thank you for this. Will we be opportunistic in requesting you to use your Zionist machinery to assist with more in-depth coverage? It will be really good for the Palestinians and other causes. We certainly don’t want to lose the momentum you have initiated.”

Even former public protector Thuli Madonsela spoke out in defence of Gift of the Givers, praising Dr Sooliman’s response on X.

Amazing response. We support you Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. You join Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu in loving both Jews and Palestinians and standing for truth and justice regarding the odious nature of genocide no matter who perpetrates it and helping humanity no matter who needs help.…

— Prof Thuli Madonsela #KindnessBuilds (@ThuliMadonsela3) December 1, 2024

Cat video maker-turned-political-commentator, The Kifness, also spat out a hairball on X, calling Dr Sooliman a “radical Islamist under the guise of a humanitarian”.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Dr Sooliman is a radical Islamist under the guise of a humanitarian & @GiftoftheGivers is the front for a far more sinister agenda. pic.twitter.com/7XO43sjPnf

— The Kiffness (@TheKiffness) November 28, 2024

Have we become so polarised that a humanitarian organisation that has done more for those in need than our own government could ever do, is being accused of supporting terrorism by a guy who’s famous for making cat videos?

[source:citizen]