Student Fundraiser For Gaza Flotilla Sparks Debate At Rutgers

Student Fundraiser For Gaza Flotilla Sparks Debate At Rutgers

Controversy has arisen over a Rutgers group's planned dinner to raise funds for an organization that supports the opposition of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

The Associated Press has more:

Organizers from BAKA: Students United for Middle Eastern Justice, say their Nov. 4 fundraising dinner is meant to support the sending of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.

A spokeswoman for BAKA, Hoda Mitwally, said her organization was being maligned by groups opposed to the event who had issued press releases insinuating her group was somehow linked to terrorism, attempting to misuse school funds, or intentionally breaking the law.

A Rutgers spokesman told the AP that the dinner had been approved by the school, but that BAKA didn't have the correct tax-exempt status to be able to send the money to Gaza.

Rutgers Hillel has come out against the event, saying that they don't want Rutgers to be "used as a fundraising venue for organizations that violate international law or conduct illegal actions against Israel."

A letter to the editor in the Daily Targum argued for the event:

One critique is that the cause (U.S. To Gaza) would break federal law by assisting Hamas. This does not make sense because the aim is to help the people of Gaza and call for the creation of a Palestinian state -- supporting Hamas is not the goal.

Another accusation is that the actions of U.S. To Gaza would constitute a naval expedition against a friendly nation. The legal neutrality issues involved are complicated, but even if the actions of such a group are questionable, university funds are only paying for the event costs, and money that is raised comes from private citizens.

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