George Soros-Backed Foundation Accused of Funding Anti-Israel Group

Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a recent revelation, it has come to light that the Foundation to Promote Open Society, backed by far  left-wing Democratic megadonor George Soros, provided financial support to Education for Just Peace in the Middle East, a charity accused of funding Hamas and other Palestinian terror factions, as was reported by the Washington Examiner. The philanthropy occurred in 2022, with the Soros-affiliated foundation granting $250,000 to the controversial charity, as indicated in newly released grant records.

Education for Just Peace in the Middle East, also known as the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR), has been reported to financially sponsor the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions National Committee. The report in the Washington Examiner indicated that this charity, in turn, has been identified as one of the organizers of pro-ceasefire rallies sympathizing with Hamas, the terror group responsible for the October 7th attack against Israel that claimed over 1,200 lives.

The financial support from the Soros-backed foundation appears contradictory to George Soros’s efforts to oppose anti-Semitism. Despite Soros’s philanthropic endeavors, anti-Semitism in the United States has reportedly surged by at least 400% since the October 7 attack, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League, as was noted in The Washington Examiner report.

This is not the first instance of financial support from the Foundation to Promote Open Society to USCPR. Grant records reveal that a total of $450,000 was granted in 2018 and 2021, suggesting a sustained relationship between the two entities, according to the information in the Washington Examiner report. The USCPR’s national conference faced cancellation by a Hilton hotel in October, following revelations about Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s involvement with the organization.

Concerns have been raised about potential IRS violations, with USCPR possibly facilitating tax-exempt donations to foreign political entities, a potential breach of IRS laws governing fiscal sponsorships, the Washington Examiner reported. Benjamin Baird, director of Middle East Forum Action, a watchdog that tracks nonprofit groups, expressed concerns over USCPR’s connections and potential violations.

The 2022 grant from the Foundation to Promote Open Society to USCPR was labeled as “general support,” while the 2018 grant aimed to “expand the grantee’s organizing support for national partners and to upgrade their communications capacity,” the report in the Washington Examiner said. These purposes raise questions about the intended impact of Soros’s funding on USCPR’s activities and affiliations with groups tied to terrorism.

USCPR’s website includes a “resources” tab called “Find a Protest: Stop the Gaza Genocide,” directing visitors to anti-Israel protests in major cities, the Washington Examiner report noted.  One such protest is being organized in Oakland, California, by the Arab Resource and Organizing Center. According to the Israeli watchdog NGO Monitor, this center has celebrated terrorists associated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the same group that Israel designated six Palestinian organizations as proxies for, according to the report.

The USCPR was also involved in organizing the pro-Palestinian National March on Washington on November 4th which reportedly saw anti-Semitic vandalism and the involvement of terror-linked nonprofit groups defacing statues, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Jewish Voice for Peace, a pro-Palestinian group that co-sponsored a protest at the Democratic National Committee, and American Muslims for Palestine are part of USCPR’s network, according to NGO Monitor and reported on by the Washington Examiner. Additionally, the WESPAC Foundation, a left-wing charity in New York, has been associated with USCPR and has actively campaigned for the release of Ahmad Saadat, the imprisoned leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The Foundation to Promote Open Society is not the only influential liberal grantmaker supporting USCPR. The Washington Examiner reported that the Education for Just Peace in the Middle East reportedly received $580,000 from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, a private foundation established in 1940 by the sons of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, according to the Washington Free Beacon.

The revelation of George Soros’s foundation financially supporting an organization with alleged ties to Palestinian terror factions has sparked controversy but to others who are familiar with the Soros legacy, it does not come as a surprise. As the USCPR faces scrutiny for its connections and activities, this development raises questions not only about the nature of philanthropic support but also about potential legal implications for both the foundation and the charity. The intersection of politics, philanthropy, and controversial affiliations continues to be a topic of intense debate.