Who:
The Association of Young Christians in East Jerusalem is engaging in illegal political activities to promote the Palestinian Authority’s goals. Commonly known as East Jerusalem YMCA, is a registered Israeli non-profit, founded in 2008. According to their mission statement, their aim is to identify and assess the Palestinian community’s needs and cater to them by developing programs that ‘empower individuals and families based on Christian principles’.
While they claim to fulfil their primary goal of ‘cultivating theater, culture, and arts in various fields’, Defend Jerusalem has discovered that the organization, which occupies a top address in Jerusalem’s American Colony, is up to business which has little to do with their supposed raison d’etre.
What:
Although the association insists its activity does not intervene in political matters in any way, its financial reports prove otherwise and show a clear intent to mislead the Registrar of Associations and break the law.
Liable information indicates that the association’s conduct deviates from its stated purpose in a manner that constitutes a clear violation of Israel and the PLO’s political agreements, under which the Palestinian Authority was established.
In February 2011, the Minister of Public Security issued a restriction order against the East Jerusalem YMCA for planning to hold a conference for the Palestinian Authority. In August 2019, the Minister of Public Security issued another restriction order. This time the association intended to host a tribute event for the Palestinian Authority. Both these events constitute a breach of Israeli law, pose a threat to Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, and frankly appear as a huge offense to the State of Israel, which grants them their mandate as a registered organization.
If this doesn’t sound strange to you then perhaps consider this. The East Jerusalem YMCA, as a registered organization in Israel, benefits from several rights, tax benefits, and fund allocation, from the state of Israel. In reality, they are using their mandate to get involved in political activity that directly threatens Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem, in addition to breaking the law. The association’s ties to the Palestinian Authority and its involvement in political matters are a blatant attempt to take advantage of the Israeli law to undermine Israel’s authority and sovereignty over Jerusalem.
Why:
Defend Jerusalem is waging a legal war against The Association of Young Christians in East Jerusalem for engaging in illegal political activities to promote the Palestinian Authority’s goals.
We intend to ensure the Israeli Registrar of Associations conduct a thorough investigation into the organizations’ operations and financial records, exposing its illegal activity and denying it the rights it enjoys as a registered Israeli nonprofit.
How:
Defend Jerusalem has issued a legal letter requesting the Israeli Registrar of Associations initiates an investigation into The Association of Young Christians in East Jerusalem.
Given the evidential infrastructure, Israel must manifest a unanimous voice. If the Minister of Public Security issued restriction orders against the association, other authorities who have jurisdiction over the association must undertake action to expose its real doings.
