S. Daniel Abraham: Protests not political

Dovish US millionaire denies Hebrew media interpretation that his donations make housing demonstrations political.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
Tel Aviv protests 521 (photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Tel Aviv protests 521
(photo credit: REUTERS/Amir Cohen)
Dovish American millionaire S. Daniel Abraham denied reports Wednesday that the contributions he has made to the housing demonstrations make them political.
Channel 10 led its newscast Tuesday night with an interview with Abraham revealing that he supported the protests financially, and speaking about a motive of wanting to support the peace process and oppose settlement construction.
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The Hebrew press interpreted his remarks as proof that the tent protest movement was political.
Abraham denied that interpretation in an interview with The Jerusalem Post Wednesday night.
“My support for the protests doesn’t make them political,” Abraham said. “I am not in charge of the protests. They don’t ask my opinion on things. I help support Bar-Ilan University, Tel Aviv University and children at risk, but that doesn’t make the institutions I support political.”
Abraham said he was “definitely not the main funder” of the protests and didn’t know who was, or even if there was one.
“I thought that these demonstrations are a worthy cause, so I decided to support them,” he said. “I won’t say how much or where it goes, just that I believe in what they are trying to do – get a better life for more Israelis.... I love Israel. I’ve been supporting it for 75 years and I can’t wait for there to be peace.”
The National Union of Israeli Students has put out a statement saying it funded the protests while suppliers of equipment contributed to it, and singers performed for free. The New Israel Fund also takes credit on the organization’s website for supporting the housing protesters in multiple ways.