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LONDON: UK-based Christian Aid has described a $78.3 million legal battle with a pro-Israeli advocacy group as 鈥渓awfare鈥� aimed at causing financial and reputational damage to organizations that do charitable work with Palestinians, the Guardian reported on Thursday. 

The New York-based Zionist Advocacy Center filed a complaint in 2017 alleging that the 鈥渧irulently anti-Israel鈥� NGO obtained US government funding through fraudulent means. 

The case dragged on for over five years before being dismissed by US courts in September. 

Christian Aid CEO Patrick Watt told the Guardian that the charity was forced to spend around 拢700,000 defending itself against allegations that it provided 鈥渕aterial support鈥� to terrorists, with no hope of the money being reimbursed. 

The charity, which had remained silent about the case while it was continuing, decided to speak out in order to shed light on the legal challenges facing NGOs operating in Palestinian territories. 

鈥淚 am very keen to try to draw more attention to the tactics that are being deployed against organizations defending Palestinian rights, to try to make that work increasingly costly and difficult, but also to attempt to delegitimize that work, which I think this overarching strategy of 鈥榣awfare鈥� is ultimately geared toward doing,鈥� Watt told the newspaper.

Christian Aid said that the dismissal reflected 鈥渨hat we have known all along: This is a case that never should have been brought.鈥� 

The Zionist Advocacy Center has previously filed similar complaints under the US False Claims Act against Norwegian People鈥檚 Aid, Oxfam and the Carter Center, the NGO founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife. The first case was settled out of court with the US government for just over $2 million, with TZAC receiving more than $300,000, while the other two were dismissed. 

鈥淚 don鈥檛 believe this case was brought against us in the belief that it had legs. I think it was brought against us in an effort to throw sand in the wheels of our advocacy and to make working (in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory) very expensive,鈥� Watt said.

Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, said she believed the lawsuits are intended to send a 鈥渃hilling effect鈥� through the international NGO sector. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 letting organizations know that if you stick a toe in this Palestine work, it could take down everything you鈥檙e doing worldwide,鈥� she told the Guardian. 

鈥淚t could end up being a reputational weapon against you. It could end up taking time and money away from everything else.

鈥淓ven people that win end up getting dragged through the mud,鈥� she said. 

鈥淪o all the good work you do in the world, are you willing to risk it by doing a project in Gaza? And I think what they鈥檙e gambling is no, you鈥檙e not.鈥�

However, Watt said the lawsuit had strengthened Christian Aid鈥檚 determination to stay involved in the region. 

鈥淚 would say if anything it has only reinforced our commitment to working on these issues in that part of the world,鈥� he said.

TZAC Executive Director David Abrams rejected comparisons between the organization鈥檚 previous legal battles and its case against Christian Aid. 

鈥淥nly when it appears to me that organizations have crossed the line into actionable conduct do I start legal proceedings,鈥� Abrams told the Guardian. 

鈥淢oreover, on two occasions so far (including against Norwegian People鈥檚 Aid), the US government has agreed with me, resulting in millions of dollars in recoveries. 

鈥淭hus, I reject any accusation that I am engaged in a harassment campaign or pursuing so-called 鈥楽lapp鈥� litigation (strategic lawsuits against public participation).鈥�

Abrams has been public about the political motivations behind his legal strategy, writing on Facebook in 2018: 鈥淭he modern battlefield includes the courtroom.鈥�

He also told Turkish television in 2019: 鈥淚鈥檓 completely an advocate for Israel and I鈥檝e never made any secret of that fact.鈥�