Israel must seize all funds donated to victims of Huwara settler violence - coalition MK

Left-wing activist Yaya Fink started an online crowdfunding campaign for the Arabs of Hawara and raised over 1.5 million shekels.

 MK Zvi Sukkot attends a Religious Zionist Party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem ,January 23, 2023 (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
MK Zvi Sukkot attends a Religious Zionist Party meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem ,January 23, 2023
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Religious Zionist Party MK Zvi Sukkot asked this week that all money and funds raised for the settler violence in Huwara be confiscated.

Sukkot's request came after left-wing activist Yaya Fink started an online crowdfunding campaign for the Arabs of Hawara and raised over 1.5 million shekels for them shortly after many homes and cars in the village were torched by Israeli settlers.

Sukkot addressed a question to the Defense Ministry, asking that they ensure that the collected funds do not go to terrorists and supporters of terrorism, following investigations that concluded that some of the residents of Huwara have supported terrorist acts in the past.

"Collecting funds and transferring them to released terrorists and supporters of terrorism is a violation of the law," Sukkot said. "We live in a country of law, and even those who, for one reason or another, are interested in creating campaigns and collecting money from the public to support the Arabs of Hawara, should adhere to the laws of the country, and not transfer funds to supporters of terrorism. 

"If indeed the funds are not monitored and if there is a reasonable concern that the funds will be transferred to terrorists, we will ask the Defense Ministry to confiscate the funds."

 Incoming MK Zvi Sukkot and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan at Joseph's Tomb (credit: SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL)
Incoming MK Zvi Sukkot and Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan at Joseph's Tomb (credit: SAMARIA REGIONAL COUNCIL)

Sukkot filled in for Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich's spot in the Knesset, with the party leader resigning under the Norwegian law.

"We live in a country of law, and even those who, for one reason or another, are interested in creating campaigns and collecting money from the public to support the Arabs of Hawara, should adhere to the laws of the country, and not transfer funds to supporters of terrorism."

Religious Zionist Party MK Zvi Sukkot

Violence in Huwara

The violence in Huwara saw Israeli settlers torching homes and cars, with residents who witnessed the incident saying that they had not witnessed the violence at such a high scale, as clashes have been Huwara have been occasionally ongoing for years. The violence was in response to the murder of two Israeli brothers Hillel Menachem Yaniv and Yagel Ya’acov Yaniv.

It was reported on Friday that Palestinians in Huwara noted their fear to walk to school, go shopping and going to work because of the recent rise in settler attacks, stating that they felt "defenseless."

The settler violence last month drew mass condemnations worldwide.

Tzvi Joffre and Reuters contributed to this report.