Millions From Qatar Flow to Israeli NGO via London Charity to Conceal Source

Millions of shekels originating from Qatar have been funneled to an Israeli NGO in Haifa through a London-registered charity, with transfers sharply increasing since 2023, according to an investigative report by Shomrim published on ynet. The Arab Culture Association in Haifa received 17.8 million shekels in foreign donations from 2020 to 2025, accounting for over 95% of its income. Most funds came via the British charity The Galilee Foundation, whose main revenue source is Qatar. The money trail is linked to brothers Azmi and Marwan Bashara. Azmi Bashara, a former Israeli Knesset member who fled to Qatar amid a secret investigation for allegedly aiding Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon War, runs the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in Doha. This center transfers funds to the London charity, chaired by his brother Marwan Bashara, a UK resident and Al Jazeera commentator. The London charity then distributes money to Israeli NGOs, including the Arab Culture Association, co-founded by their late sister Dr. Rawdat Bashara.

Data reveals the London charity received $181,000 from the Doha center in 2022, which surged nearly tenfold to $1.8 million in 2023, then rose to $2.1 million in 2024, and stood at $1.6 million in 2025. The Doha center, classified as a private institution with an annual budget of about 20 million shekels, maintains economic ties to the Qatari government, including funding a master's program. The London charity also earns interest from an investment fund donated by the Emir of Qatar, using profits mainly for scholarships to Israeli students. Its $2.5 million investment portfolio includes bonds from Qatari government-controlled entities.

Despite this financial route, the Israeli NGO’s official documents do not mention Qatar or the Doha center, listing donations only from the British charity. Israeli NGO regulations require disclosure of donor identities but not the original source of funds, allowing compliance with technical reporting rules. The Arab Culture Association’s 2025 budget was 3.3 million shekels, 90% from foreign donations, and it holds a "proper management" certification. However, the NGO failed to report that Dr. Mahmoud Mohareb, a board member and authorized signatory, is also a research fellow at Bashara’s Doha institute, which channels the funds to London.

Retired Brigadier General Sima Vaknin-Gil, former CEO of the Strategic Affairs Ministry and current acting head of ISGAP, told Shomrim this method is typical for those wishing to transfer money anonymously or avoid scrutiny by using intermediaries. The Arab Culture Association organizes book fairs, performances, Nakba tours, and scholarships for Arab-Israeli students, who must attend workshops on Palestinian identity and history and volunteer. According to the British charity’s report, 1,300 students have received scholarships so far. The foundation also supports other programs and organizations, including Al-Quds University, Adalah Center, Mada al-Carmel Academic Center, and the youth NGO Baldna. Neither The Galilee Foundation nor the Arab Culture Association responded to requests for comment.