-
I'm here with Sara van Oordt
from Christians for Israel.
-
Money from Christians for Israel
helps to fund illegal settlements.
-
This money may even buy weapons,
as we discovered together with Investico.
-
Right?
-
No.
-Yes.
-
Here we go.
-
We can help people get pistol licenses.
-
He went there once and they tied him up
and destroyed about 400 trees...
-
while he was watching.
-
Christian Zionism sees Jews
only as instrumental.
-
And there's something anti-Semitic in that.
-
If you transfer this amount,
my advice is to use a neutral description.
-
"Support for Judea and Samaria"
or something like that.
-
No, that isn't neutral.
-
Is that wine from the territories sold here?
-Yes.
-
Why?
-Because it's very good wine.
-
This is the land of Jamal Faris...
-
a Palestinian olive farmer
in Deir Istiya on the West Bank.
-
The land has been owned by his family
since the 1950s...
-
but in the early 1990s...
-
a few white trailers appear on the edge
of Jamal's land on Palestinian territory.
-
These are houses of Israeli settlers,
and they call their settlement Revava.
-
Behind me in Nijkerk here
is Christians for Israel's headquarters...
-
a Zionist Christian foundation.
-
In this broadcast, we'll explain the link
between Jamal's land and this building.
-
Jamal can't live and work normally
on the West Bank due to the Revava settlers.
-
The foundation in this Nijkerk building
is one of the facilitators for this.
-
Because we discovered with Investico
and the Nederlands Dagblad newspaper...
-
that Dutch Christian Zionist organizations
contribute financially...
-
to the expansion of illegal settlements
on the West Bank.
-
And this money can be used
to bypass European sanctions...
-
or purchase weapons for settlers.
-
So pay attention.
-
This story begins with Jamal,
a Palestinian olive farmer.
-
As we mentioned, Jamal has a problem.
-
My name is Jamal Faris.
I'm a Palestinian from the West Bank...
-
...from a small town called Deir Istiya.
-
I was a teacher.
-
And a farmer.
I have an olive tree field.
-
And we cannot take care of it right now.
-
But why can't Jamal take care
of his olive trees anymore?
-
Here's a brief history lesson.
-
After World War II, in 1948,
the state of Israel is declared.
-
Many Palestinians in this area...
-
are displaced and settle in Gaza
and on the West Bank...
-
the area between Israel
and the Jordan River.
-
The 1949 armistice created a border
between Israel and the Palestinian territories.
-
This border, known as the Green Line,
is still observed by the United Nations.
-
But during the Six-Day War in 1967,
Israel captured the West Bank.
-
Israel has occupied the area to this day.
-
The Palestinian Authority
has limited self-rule in Zones A and B...
-
as agreed in the Oslo Accords.
-
The vast majority, zone C,
is governed by Israel.
-
However, this doesn't mean
Israel can take the land.
-
All Israeli settlements in occupied areas
are illegal under international law.
-
In July 2024, the International
Court of Justice reaffirmed this.
-
It ruled that the settlements Israel built
in the West Bank should not exist...
-
and that Israel must withdraw its settlers
from Palestinian territories.
-
But Israeli settlers have been expanding
their authority for decades...
-
by building more settlements
on Palestinian land.
-
Increasingly, settlers do this with the help
of the Israeli army, using a lot of violence.
-
Like Revava, right next to
Jamal's olive grove.
-
This field was actually planted...
-
by my father in 1956 and
before the Israeli occupation in 1967.
-
In 1991 the settlement started
very small at the beginning...
-
and started expanding,
and now it's a big settlement.
-
It took all the land over there and
they have their wall at the border of my land.
-
We had a problem in the past twenty years
taking care of that land...
-
during my father's time.
-
He went there once and they tied him up
and they destroyed about 400 trees...
-
while he was watching...
-
and they let the sewage come through
our land and killed about 200 trees.
-
So now we don't have too much left,
but we still have problems getting there...
-
to harvest our trees.
-
I can't go by myself
because I might get beaten or shot.
-
Shortly after the ceasefire in Gaza
last January...
-
the Israeli army launched
a wide-scale offensive in the West Bank.
-
Palestinians are driven away,
attacked, and murdered.
-
Settler violence has also increased recently.
-
Over a hundred incidents have been
recorded since early last year.
-
This is my land.
I want to take care of it.
-
I don't want to give it up.
I want to...
-
fix it...
-
or I will lose it.
-
So with Investico and Nederlands Dagblad
we investigated...
-
the Dutch Christian Zionist organisations
contributing financially...
-
to making Jamal's life a misery,
among other things.
-
I'm Janneke Stegeman.
-
I'm a theologian
with a PhD on the Hebrew Bible...
-
and the relationship between identity
and conflict in Hebrew texts...
-
such as the use of the Hebrew Bible
in today's conflicts in Israel and Palestine.
-
And I teach at VU University.
-I'm Ari Dubnov, a historian.
-
I was, born and raised
and educated in Israel.
-
I teach Israel studies and Middle Eastern
studies at George Washington University.
-
Zionism is a movement which states
that Jews...
-
belong in Israel,
seen as their historic homeland.
-
Zionism started as Christian Zionism,
specifically among Protestants in Europe.
-
This was mainly in the Dutch Republic
and also in England.
-
Even before the Zionist movement...
-
before Herzl and people
calling themselves Zionists...
-
there were already Christian Zionists,
so to speak, saying:
-
"We envision the return of the Jews
to the Holy Land...
-
and then it will bring
the second coming of Christ."
-
Christians see Jesus as the Messiah...
-
who ascended to Heaven and
will return on Judgment Day.
-
This second coming of Christ
involves various convictions.
-
Including the return of all Jews
to the Holy Land...
-
and converting to Christianity.
-
These texts are largely set
in Biblical Judea and Samaria...
-
with Biblical places like East Jerusalem
and Bethlehem.
-
So in the Biblical idea that Jews
must return to the Holy Land...
-
this area is a vital part of this land.
-
Shortly, we'll call a controversial Israeli settler
in the West Bank.
-
We'll discuss donating money...
-
as Dutch donations play a significant part
in this story. Attention.
-
Violating human rights and
destroying Palestinian lives...
-
has a very simple practical side:
it requires money.
-
We'll show you how this money flows
and the crucial role of the Netherlands.
-
How important are the Dutch
for the Christian Friends of Israel?
-
Wonderful people, just wonderful.
-
We love them deeply and the relationship
is so strong. Friendship.
-
You heard Sondra Baras speaking
to our colleagues from Investico...
-
when they visited the West Bank
last January.
-
Baras is the founder and
former director of the CFO-IC...
-
the Christian Friends of Israeli Communities.
-
This CFO-IC is an international
Christian Zionist organization...
-
that coordinates projects
in the settlements on the West Bank.
-
The money CFO-IC receives
from donors around the world...
-
flows through Baras
to these settlements on the West Bank.
-
These funds are used for community centers
and clinics...
-
but also on drones and
bulletproof vests for settlers.
-
Israel receives funds
from around the world...
-
but in financial aid to the settler movement,
the Netherlands plays a key part.
-
While the US is probably the primary
financial contributor, says Baras...
-
the relationship with the Netherlands
is also very close.
-
Our partnership with Holland is vital.
We work closely with Christians for Israel.
-
Christians for Israel, or CFI,
has a turnover of 13 million euros.
-
It's the largest Christian Zionist foundation
in the Netherlands...
-
and supports projects on the West Bank,
according to research by Investico.
-
CFI, based in Nijkerk,
was founded in the 1980s...
-
and mainly finds support within
the orthodox-Protestant churches.
-
CFI's mission is...
-
making Christians aware of the Jewish
people's role in God's world plan.
-
The foundation doesn't see the West Bank
as occupied territory...
-
but as the heart of Biblical Israel
assigned to the Jewish people.
-
CFI therefore does not use the term
West Bank, but Judea and Samaria.
-
CFI's influence extends to the highest circles
in American politics.
-
Listen to Leon Meijer...
-
former board member of the Christian Union
Party and current CFI international chair.
-
Mr. Meijer, you were at Mar-a-Lago
not too long ago. Why were you there?
-
There was a Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast,
a gathering for Jerusalem's peace.
-
And the organization
had discussed this with Trump.
-
"Can we hold this prayer meeting
at your estate?"
-
He replied, "Jerusalem is close to my heart.
I've moved the American embassy there...
-
so I invite you to have the prayer meeting
on the estate."
-
A remarkable choice, I think.
-Yes.
-
CFI has its own newspaper, talk show,
and retail company...
-
called Israel Products Center,
offering goods from the...
-
as they call it, "Promised Land",
including the occupied territories.
-
There's also a business club
with over 300 entrepreneurs.
-
CFI also organizes trips to Israel
for volunteers and...
-
in line with the orthodox-Protestant
Zionist body of thought...
-
helps Jewish people
from around the world with "aliyah":
-
The return to the promised land.
-
They're going to build up a new life in Israel.
-
It makes me think of Isaiah 43,
where the Lord says:
-
"Bring my sons and bring my daughters home
from far away."
-
These young Jewish children
between 13 and 17 years...
-
are the young new sons and daughters that
we may bring back to the land of Israel.
-
You could say...
-
that one of the problems
with Christian Zionism...
-
is that they see Jews
only instrumentally.
-
And I think there's
something anti-Semitic in that.
-
So it's not interest in Jews
as Jews see themselves...
-
but only in Jews
as they fit into the Christian story.
-
It's a problematic vision
as Jews are just seen as means to an end.
-
They are actually the small chess pieces.
-
They're the soldiers you sacrifice
on your way to a bigger vision.
-
With all those donations, CFI realizes
projects in what they call Judea and Samaria.
-
In other words, on Palestinian territory.
-
And this is in conflict with Dutch policy.
-
The Dutch government
supports a two-state solution...
-
viewing Israeli settlements
in occupied Palestinian territories...
-
as illegal and peace-threatening.
-
But in CFI's monthly newspaper,
another reality seems to be presented.
-
For there, we read this:
-
In December 2024, CFI contributed to
the construction of a retirement home...
-
for stationed Israeli soldiers.
-
In 2022, to a scouting club in East Talpiot...
-
and in that same year, the Israel
Products Center in the Netherlands...
-
donated their store profits
to a winemaker in Kiryat Arba...
-
a settlement near Hebron.
-
Jewish people brought to Israel by
the First Home in the Homeland program...
-
are also being settled
by CFI on the West Bank...
-
as we read in blogs
on the Christians for Israel website...
-
which is CFI's international branch.
-
Some CFI funds
bound for the West Bank...
-
go to the Christian Friends of Israeli
Communities we mentioned before.
-
And this brings us back to Jamal.
-
For, in 2023, CFOIC director Sondra Baras
thanks CFI Holland...
-
for a major contribution to the security
system of a new residential area in Revava.
-
The existence of Reviva and its expansion
has direct consequences...
-
for the Palestinians who own and cultivate
the adjoining land, including Jamal.
-
Part of his land next to
the illegal settlement of Revava's wall...
-
is too dangerous for him to enter.
-
Even reaching his own land
has been made impossible for him.
-
I used to go from this town to my field
straightforward in the car...
-
but when they built the settlement, it's
an obstacle between my town and my field.
-
It's in the middle, actually.
-
We have to go through it and now we're not
allowed to go through the settlement.
-
I can't get close to it.
-
Please go up.
It's not by distance 40 meters up.
-
What if you just keep two soldiers
to protect us here and just finish it?
-
What's the deal? Why?
It's no big issue.
-
We're peaceful people,
just here to pick olives...
-
and we have trouble
even using roads.
-
So now we have to make a big circle
all the way to the west...
-
taking bad roads, not active streets.
-
It's just roads they use for animals.
-
And it takes two hours for me
to get to my field.
-
If it was free like before
I could drive my car...
-
and just within a few minutes,
if I have that big field...
-
we could be making good money out of it
from that oil.
-
But now we lost that chance.
-
Those 800 trees that we've had...
-
they could make maybe
three, four tons of oil...
-
and that was ten, fifteen,
twenty thousand dollars.
-
Now we don't have that chance.
How can we live without money?
-
Attention. We read something else
in the Christians for Israel newspaper.
-
After October 7th, 2023, Christians for Israel
creates an emergency fund.
-
Part of the donations collected by CFI
through this fund goes to Or Ami...
-
a foundation set up by settler activist and
lawyer Nati Rom. Remember that name.
-
Nati Rom regularly visits the Netherlands
at the invitation of CFI...
-
and even set up a foundation here:
The Israel Heartland Foundation.
-
This is Nati Rom. Attention.
-
Shalom friends from Jabalia.
-
Shabbat shalom to our friends worldwide.
With God's help, we'll win.
-
We will do it together with the rabbi
over there.
-
We do whatever we can
to wreak redemption here in Jabalia.
-
As written in here: Shabbat shalom
from the heartland of Israel.
-
Rom supports demonstrators who
attacked aid convoys at the Gaza border...
-
and defends IDF soldiers standing trial for
systematic rape of Palestinian prisoners.
-
His third specialty is applying for
and defending weapon permits.
-
When not aiding settlers,
he serves as an Israeli army reservist.
-
Rom is seen in videos
with night vision drones...
-
a new watchtower for an army base
on the West Bank...
-
and a group of heavily armed men
he seems to be training.
-
For drones and watchtower purchases,
Dutch donors are thanked on the blog.
-
But where Rom got the weapons from,
is unclear.
-
Arjen Domburg, chairman
of the Israel Heartland Foundation...
-
and Nati Rom's right-hand man
in the Netherlands...
-
doesn't seem to know
where all donations go.
-
Days after the shooting men video,
Domburg writes this.
-
"Equipment has been bought
for the villages' security.
-
What, where and how isn't exactly clear,
but a lot of equipment has been bought."
-
Of course we had many questions,
but Rom won't answer Investico.
-
So, we decided together with our colleagues
from Investico to take a different approach.
-
We created the character Albert Dijkstra,
played by Allard from Investico.
-
Dijkstra, from Drachtsercompagnie,
has inherited money from his mother...
-
and wants to donate 15,000 to 20,000 euros
to Rom's Dutch foundation.
-
We tell this story to the Israel Heartland
Foundation chairman, Arjen Domburg.
-
As Rom's Dutch right-hand man...
-
...he can tell us more about the
exact destination of the Dutch money.
-
And we might also learn more...
-
about Christians for Israel's
financial flows.
-
The conversation with Domburg
starts like this.
-
Good morning, this is Albert Dijkstra.
-
Good morning.
-Hi. Thanks for calling.
-
I can imagine it's difficult
for Mr. Rom over there and also for you...
-
to get funding for the "heavier" stuff.
-
So as far as I am concerned...
-
if it's about equipment or weapons...
-
...I'm fine with all of it.
I'll help if needed.
-
No, we don't actually do
those kinds of things.
-
I mean, weapons aren't just sold
on the nearest street corner in Israel.
-
Another thing.
You mentioned those newsletters...
-
with a summary of what you've been doing
over the past few months, the past year.
-
Are they on your website?
-
No, because sometimes
the newsletters contain stuff...
-
we'd rather not publish.
-
Right, I see.
-
Domburg isn't showing all his cards yet,
but we also ask him:
-
"Our donation will be substantial.
Can we talk to Nati Rom himself?"
-
It works.
-
I think it's best if I contact Nati...
-
to discuss this matter.
-
And then I'll send you an email.
Is that a good idea?
-
Yes, that is a good idea.
-
This is where it gets interesting.
Domburg puts us in contact with Nati Rom.
-
Nati Rom is a key figure in a network
of controversial West Bank settlers.
-
His Or Ami foundation collaborates with
the Dutch Israel Heartland Foundation...
-
but also receives money from
Christians for Israel's emergency fund.
-
We agree to call him two days later.
-
Hi. Good afternoon.
-Good afternoon.
-
First, Rom tells us that he uses
food vouchers for sanctioned settlers...
-
for other purposes too.
-
Between you and me,
we don't know each other yet...
-
but this is the reason I use the food cards,
because it's not only food...
-
it's the card that they can use
in one hundred main stores in Israel.
-
They can also buy a tool, working tool.
There's a lot of options.
-
Okay, so they can use the card
how they want...
-
even if they have trouble with the
what's it called the sanctions or...
-
Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly, yes.
-
If you work with any of the people that were
attacked by the EU or the US, I would...
-
I am. I represent them in court and also we
are supporting them in their places for sure.
-
Then it's on to our donation.
How would Rom like to receive that money?
-
Through the Israel Heartland Foundation
or is cash preferred?
-
Cash is always the best.
For example...
-
...there's people
who are stuck with the sanction.
-
For them, cash is the best.
-
So we do for them the food card.
-
But also the foundation is okay.
Yes, we have our ways.
-
Okay, so cash is the best.
-
But what is Nati Rom actually going to do
with our cash? Here's the answer.
-
We can help people
get licenses for pistols.
-
We can also subsidize the price.
-
To subsidize for people who want to buy,
to subsidize the price, this can be.
-
How much will it cost to subsidize also
a pistol or a firearm? Does that, is that...?
-
It depends on us.
-
Let's say a firearm here will cost
something like 3000 or 4000. It depends.
-
And so it depends on us also
how much...
-
I think you don't need to
subsidize everything.
-
Just half or three quarters
or something like that.
-
Perfect.
-
And then if I send the money...
if I do it via Heartland here...
-
that will get to you...?
-
Yeah.
-Okay.
-
Arjen is an amazing person...
-
with giving not only his time,
but everything for this. It's amazing.
-
Yes.
-
Right. With the money we donate to him...
-
Nati Rom can finance weapons
for settlers.
-
And although Arjen Domburg
previously denied this...
-
Rom says this can be done through Israel
Heartland Foundation in the Netherlands.
-
Then Nati Rom suddenly starts talking
about Roger van Oordt...
-
the former director of Christians for Israel.
-
Roger van Oordt
is a very good friend of mine.
-
He came to my place like twenty times.
-
We're very connected,
I love him very much.
-
He's a great person,
but for years...
-
his organization rather give millions
to projects like...
-
building the windmill in Jerusalem
and flowers...
-
and they didn't want to be connected
because they were afraid.
-
And when he was helping me
it was in a small amount and secretly.
-
This is one of the things I'm saying.
From time to time he used to help us...
-
but secretly.
He has his way how to do it.
-
But for what I do, for what I want,
I don't do flowers.
-
Okay, Nati Rom doesn't do flowers.
-
And CFI found donating as a foundation
difficult...
-
but luckily the director of CFI himself
came by with cash.
-
But why is that such a smart idea?
-
If I could help you
do most of it off the books...
-
you can spend it more easily
on subsidising pistols and stuff...
-
because otherwise
that would be difficult, or what?
-
It's always easier in the other way.
-
Yeah, okay.
-God bless you. Thank you so much.
-
Good luck, please stay safe, okay?
-
Oh, my God.
Funding pistols is possible.
-
How about
calling Arjen Domburg now?
-
So in summary, Nati Rom wants to take our
money and can buy weapons with it too.
-
He prefers to get money off the books,
like Roger van Oordt did it...
-
but the Heartland Foundation works as well.
-
We decide to call chairman Arjen Domburg
again with this good news.
-
Is he still on board
with this info in his pocket?
-
Arjen Domburg speaking.
-
Hi, good afternoon.
-Good afternoon.
-
Hi. I just called Nati.
-Oh, nice.
-
It was really a great conversation.
-
I'm really impressed.
-
Nati and I decided together
it would be best...
-
...if the money could be spent on cameras
for those families or communities.
-
He also talked about
firearm and quad subsidies.
-
Nati said the easiest way is to just transfer it
to the Heartland Foundation.
-
We could do it early next week.
-
So you can forward it right away and
ensure it goes to those three things?
-
I'll send the whole amount all at once.
-
I'll forward it to Nati's foundation.
Then he can access it directly.
-
If you transfer this sum, my advice
would be to use a neutral description.
-
Like "support for Judea and Samaria"
or something.
-
I wouldn't mention that.
-No?
-
No, that's not neutral.
-
I would just say "support Nati Rom"
or "N. Rom" or "support..."
-
Or maybe just in Dutch,
to let sleeping dogs lie.
-
Last time you mentioned 15,000 to 20,000
euros. I wouldn't take that out in cash...
-
and get on a plane.
-
Right. What kind of expenses
are best in cash?
-
The kind of things we just talked about.
-
Those are the...
How can I put it?
-
The more difficult cases
where no one wants to leave any traces.
-
The roads, the weapons,
that kind of thing.
-
I think so.
-
Christians of Israel,
with the Van Oord family...
-
they have much more cash available
because of their collection money.
-
Yes, I see.
-
Like Nati... I remember a few years ago.
-
I think was the first time I met him.
He gave three talks for Christians from Israel.
-
There were three collections,
and in one church, 500 people attended.
-
Then the cash adds up quickly.
-
And then you get to take the stationery.
-
You know we're
a Public Benefit Organization?
-
So tax-wise that's also interesting.
-
So what can we conclude from this?
-
1: Nati Rom can help settlers
in illegal settlements to get weapons...
-
and ensure they're untraceable.
This can be done with Dutch money.
-
2: Donations from the Heartland Foundation...
-
are sometimes brought to Israel in cash
for "difficult" purchases.
-
3: Roger van Oordt, a member
of the CFI family for 45 years...
-
is good friends with Nati Rom...
-
and has occasionally made secret and
off-the-books donations when visiting Rom.
-
4: CFI held multiple collections at gatherings
where Nati Rom spoke in the Netherlands...
-
and gave him the cash.
-
5: With the food cards
for which Nati Rom collected money...
-
sanctioned settlers could not only buy food
but also purchase other items.
-
In this way, EU sanctions on those settlers
could be bypassed.
-
Ivo Amar, a sanction law specialist,
says this:
-
Economic resources means
essentially everything that has value.
-
It can be a food voucher or a gift card,
even a car.
-
Basically anything movable, immovable,
even intangible...
-
that represents any value,
so even a service...
-
...may not be provided
to such a settler.
-
That would be a criminal offense.
-
I'm also a Christian...
-
so let's say it's a Christian value
to treat others as you wish to be treated.
-
I think it's harsh that Palestinians
are totally absent from this story.
-
While all our eyes are set on Gaza
for obvious reasons...
-
on the other hand, it allows
the settlers in the West Bank...
-
what they call Judea and Samaria...
-
to do what is practically an ethnic cleansing
that no one is paying attention to.
-
So the idea is that God
promised the land to the Jews...
-
and the Palestinians,
as original inhabitants...
-
have to go and live in another
Arab country.
-
It shows that Christian Zionism
is always connected with colonialism.
-
They're building up more houses,
and somebody is helping them, I guess...
-
sending them money to expand.
-
I wish these settlements
will be dismantled and leave.
-
Because as long as they are there,
they will keep bothering us...
-
and they will keep expanding.
-
They should stop, because we are
humans too. We are natives here.
-
You are encouraging this town,
this settlement, to expand...
-
and take our land. It's our land
for thousands of years, that field.
-
<i>Dutch Faces Behind Settlement</i>
"This is Settlers' Language."
-
We're headed to Christians for Israel,
in this building,
-
Obviously, we have some questions.
-
Before we get there,
we first want to show you...
-
who's behind Christians for Israel
and the route to this discussion.
-
Christians for Israel
is run by the Van Oordt family.
-
Frank van Oordt,
son of founder Karel van Oordt...
-
has led the foundation since 2020.
-
Frank succeeded his brother Roger
van Oordt, whom you heard of earlier.
-
Roger led Christians for Israel
for nearly 30 years.
-
He now has a new position...
-
as honorary consul of the State of Israel
in the Netherlands.
-
This means he assists Dutch
nationals abroad...
-
and looks after Dutch trade interests
in Israel.
-
According to Nati Rom, Roger allegedly
smuggled cash to the West Bank.
-
Then there's Sara van Oordt,
married to the founder's grandson.
-
She's CFI's head of media and
communication and hosts their talk show.
-
It's 2025 and Israel has been at war
for 458 days now.
-
In the 2023 elections, she was a candidate
for the Christian Union Party.
-
We first call Frank, the foundation's
director, to discuss our findings.
-
You're saying quite something there.
-
But what you're saying isn't true at all.
-What isn't true?
-
You're saying we finance
illegal settlements.
-
You're saying we finance those.
That's not true at all.
-
I think you should call
our spokesperson.
-
So who should I call?
-Sara van Oort.
-
Frank directs us to Sara and we call her.
-
She needs some time but calls back later.
She wants to come and talk.
-
Okay, great. Let's arrange that.
Tuesday at 10 o'clock.
-
Hi. Hello.
-Welcome.
-
Tim. Nice to meet you.
-Sara.
-
Welcome to the center.
-Thank you.
-
Can we put the camera on the shoulder?
-Sure.
-
We'd like to discuss some things you fund.
-
Starting with Revava. In 2022, you supported
the construction of a new neighborhood.
-
How much did you contribute?
-
We sponsored twelve houses there.
-
Temporary homes that are also movable.
They were 25,000 euros each.
-
Why did you choose to donate
specifically to this project?
-
We've supported many projects for years.
-
It was a project
at the start of the Ukraine crisis...
-
when Ukrainian refugees flooded
into the Netherlands as well as Israel.
-
In Israel, they were housed in places
including Revava.
-
And why was the choice made to locate it
in that neighborhood?
-
The municipality chose that. It's within
municipal boundaries, so they decide.
-
They had space for twelve little houses.
-
So it's not a whole neighborhood,
just twelve temporary homes.
-
They were built under Israeli law...
-
partly on land from a Palestinian
from the nearby village of Deir Istiya...
-
and partly on land managed by Israel
without permission given.
-
Nearby buildings are under demolition order
by the Israeli government.
-
Specifically for this neigborhood?
-Yes.
-
You didn't know this?
-I wasn't aware of it.
-
Is that checked
before you finance a neighborhood?
-
We always consult the local municipality
for suitable locations.
-
And they said, "This area is in Zone C
under the Oslo Accords."
-
It's under Israeli administration,
and they chose this area.
-
Israeli administration doesn't mean
it's Israeli land. You know that.
-
That's disputed.
-
You're the ones disputing it.
Legally, it's true.
-
Can you repeat the question?
-It wasn't a question. I provided information.
-
You say it's disputed,
but you're disputing it.
-
It's under Israeli military law,
but Israel can't just take the land.
-
That's not entirely true.
The Oslo Accords were signed in the 1990s.
-
Zones A, B, and C were agreed upon.
C is under Israeli administration.
-
Military administration?
-
Yes, but also civilian administration,
because Israelis live there.
-
A is under Palestinian control.
-
B is under shared control.
There, military law applies, but not in C.
-
The idea about the C area is that
it's controlled fully by Israel...
-
in terms of its police and military...
-
not in terms of the way
you run the land there.
-
The Israeli parliament never passed a law
saying area C is Israeli territory.
-
So that's part of what's going on here.
-
As we've seen now...
-
contributing to the expansion of Israeli
settlements is a violation of international law.
-
According to the Oslo Accords,
Israel has the right...
-
They're a basis for a final agreement.
-
Which hasn't been reached.
-Unfortunately, not yet.
-
Which means that the West Bank...
-Is disputed.
-
Can be governed by the Israelis...
-
but it doesn't mean Palestinian land
must be given up.
-
Conflicts happen and
they also go to court.
-
If it turns out that the land is
in fact owned by Palestinians...
-
the court will rule that
those settlements must be cleared.
-
It has happened before.
It will happen again.
-
I've checked whether there is
a claim on Revava.
-
There is, but it has never been
to court.
-
There are many conflicts in the West Bank
in the C area where Israel is in control...
-
where Palestinians say the land is ours.
-
So they go to court, and yes,
lawsuits do drag on.
-
Sometimes the ruling is in favor of Israel,
sometimes of Palestinians.
-
Just to be clear, the homes in question
in Revava are illegal under Israeli law.
-
This is documented...
-
and these buildings received a demolition
order from the Israeli authorities in 2022.
-
That's the issue here.
-
You still believe it's morally justified
to support this.
-
It's under Israeli administration.
-
Israel is a democratic state of law
and land conflicts are decided in court.
-
And if the land is not Israel's but belongs
to Palestinians, we'll relocate those homes.
-
Is that a deal?
-We simply adhere to the law.
-
Revava's existence and expansion directly
impacts Palestinians with land next to it.
-
One is Jamal Faris, a Palestinian
olive farmer from Deir Istiya.
-
His land borders directly on the wall
of the illegal settlement of Revava.
-
It's too dangerous for him to access.
He can hardly reach his own land.
-
We have an audio clip.
-
He went there once and they tied him up
and destroyed about 400 trees...
-
while he was watching.
-
So now we don't have too much left,
but we still have problems getting there...
-
to harvest our trees.
-
I can't go by myself
because I might get beaten or shot.
-
That's the situation for him
and other Palestinians in the area.
-
Does this affect you?
-It affects me a lot.
-
Will it impact funds to Revava
from Christians for Israel?
-
It affects me greatly, the suffering.
I want to emphasize that.
-
If it turns out our sponsored houses
shouldn't be there...
-
we'll relocate them,
but we'll investigate this thoroughly.
-
We owe responsibility to our donors. I must
explain our financial spending to them.
-
So you promise
to thoroughly investigate this?
-
And if according to international law
it's wrong to displace these Palestinians...
-
your foundation will pull out?
-Of course.
-
Let's talk about Nati Rom.
-I know him.
-
Nati Rom gave three talks in the Netherlands
in June 2022.
-
Collections were made
when Nati Rom spoke here...
-
at your invitation.
You gave him the cash money.
-
Why did that money go to Nati Rom?
-I don't recall. When was this?
-
2022.
-I don't remember exactly.
-
I'd have to check. But we did sponsor him
immediately after October 7th.
-
So money went to Or Ami
from your emergency fund?
-
But in 2022, we didn't yet
have an emergency fund.
-
That was in 2023, but in 2022
you gave the collection money to Rom.
-
It's all recorded. We don't just
hand over an envelope.
-
Nothing off the books?
-Of course not.
-
Let's start with that cash money in '22 that
went to Nati Rom. Want was that meant for?
-
I'd have to check.
-
Why donate to Or Ami, to his foundation,
from the emergency fund?
-
We donate to many organizations.
-Yes.
-
We list about 20 on our website, I think.
-What are the conditions?
-
Conditions for...?
-For receiving money from you.
-
The conditions are...
-
After October 7th, the Hamas massacre,
we saw Israel in need.
-
We set up an emergency fund
to support people with food parcels...
-
emergency kits and also security.
-
We sponsored a number of shelters
for people seeking refuge in bunkers.
-
The condition is
that it must fit our policy.
-
We want to give humanitarian aid...
-
and support people, both Jews and
Palestinians, with food aid, for instance.
-
Are there limits you won't cross?
Things your foundation shouldn't do?
-
There are many things
a foundation shouldn't do.
-
We're against violence,
so we don't support violence.
-
Would you indirectly fund weapons?
-Neither directly nor indirectly. No way.
-
Then I'd like to play you something.
-
We can help people
get licenses for pistols.
-
We can also subsidize the price.
-
To subsidize for people who want to buy,
to subsidize the price, this can be.
-
How much would it cost to subsidize
also a pistol or a firearm?
-
It depends on us.
-
Let's say a firearm here will cost
something like 3000 or 4000. It depends.
-
Do you get what's being said?
-
That you could subsidize a weapon
or something, right?
-
With donated money.
-But not from Christians for Israel.
-
That is the question.
-That is the answer.
-
Are you sure?
-
I'm 100% sure.
-How do you know?
-
It goes against our policy.
Donations are earmarked for specific goals.
-
We're a serious
Public Benefit Organisation.
-
We adhere to rules, that's our policy.
-
What would we gain by doing this?
-
Let's put this in moral terms.
-
Would you continue work with Nati Rom
and his foundation...
-
knowing he also finances weapons
with donations?
-
That's a hard question.
-Why?
-
You're confronting me with this now.
I asked to get your questions up front.
-
I didn't get them,
so we couldn't confer.
-
Christians for Israel doesn't support
weapons. I want to emphasize this again.
-
You just hope.
-I'm sure of it. It's not hope.
-
Our books are in order.
We know what we're donating to.
-
So let's look at the books.
-Yes.
-
We had another talk with Nati Rom and
Arjen Domburg. You know him, I think.
-
I know his name, not the person.
-From the Heartland Foundation.
-
This was a conversation about
Roger van Oordt, well-known to you.
-
Roger van Oordt
is a very good friend of mine.
-
He came to my place like twenty times.
-
You know this, right?
-I do.
-
He brings groups to us
to be inspired, you know.
-
And he for years and years...
-
We're very connected and I love him
personally very much.
-
He's a great person,
but for years...
-
his organization rather gives millions
to projects like...
-
building the windmill in Jerusalem
and flowers...
-
and they didn't want to be connected
because they were afraid.
-
And when he was helping me,
it was in a small amount and secretly.
-
So from time to time
he used to help us...
-
but secretly.
He has his way how to do it.
-
But for what I do, for what I want,
I don't do flowers.
-
Nati Rom is talking about off-the-books
money which Roger van Oordt...
-
Secretly, he said.
I don't recognize that.
-
He talked about off-the-books money...
-
and said that Roger van Oort provided him
with cash, and possibly implies there...
-
as you heard,
"I don't do flowers"...
-
implying off-the-books actions
like possibly financing weapons.
-
I stick to my story. We don't finance
weapons on the books...
-
and we don't do anything off the books.
-Nati Rom says you do.
-
Those are his words.
We don't do things off the books.
-
I can't check it...
-You'll have to take my word for it.
-
Will you ask Roger van Oordt?
-No, I'll look into this, of course.
-
Are you shocked?
-
We're being presented with things
I'm not aware of.
-
As Christians for Israel,
we're accountable for our donations.
-
I stand by that, having insight
into the projects we support.
-
We do not support violence. Period.
-
You also funded 2,000 food vouchers
in 2023.
-
Let's discuss food vouchers.
We'll go back to Nati Rom.
-
Between you and me,
we don't know each other yet...
-
but this is the reason I use the food cards,
because it's not only food...
-
it's a card that they can use
in one hundred main stores in Israel.
-
They can also buy a tool, working tool.
-
One project that might be interesting
for you...
-
is buying a small car, an ATV,
I can show you a picture.
-
It's for guarding at night
and in the day they're working with it.
-
There's a lot of options.
-Okay. So the card is...
-
They can use it how they want,
even if they have trouble with the...
-
what's it called, the sanctions or...
-
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Exactly, yes.
-
What Nati Rom tells us
is that the food vouchers here...
-
can help bypass sanctions against settlers
sanctioned by bodies like the EU.
-
This isn't about gifts
from Christians for Israel.
-
No, but my question is:
-
When you hear this,
Nati Rom funding weapons...
-
accepting cash from Roger van Oordt
and wanting to bypass sanctions...
-
our expert says this was about
bypassing sanctions...
-
is this enough to stop working
with the foundation?
-
We're against any form of violence.
-Yes, you said that.
-
And we will talk to Nati Rom.
We know...
-
You'll talk to Nati Rom, but...
-Definitely.
-
We've cooperated with him
for many years.
-
If it turns out that donations from
Christians for Israel are misused by him...
-
we'll ask questions and we'll stop
if he continues to do so.
-
Why do you call this area Judea and Samaria
instead of the West Bank?
-
It's the name used in Israel
for the area.
-
Yes, but it's the West Bank.
-It's just a name, right?
-
It's like North and South Holland
together making up Holland.
-
That's what it's called.
In Israel, it's Judea and Samaria.
-
A biblical term.
-Biblical, but used in Israel.
-
This is the way the religious settlers
refer to the land in its biblical terms.
-
It's not the way
the great majority of Israelis...
-
nor the legal system,
nor the documents refer to it.
-
The Israelis up to recently
would call it "Hagda Ma'aravi"...
-
which is literally the West Bank.
-
You contribute directly to
Nati Rom's foundation...
-
which is clearly committed to maintaining
and expanding settlements.
-
You have contributed directly to
the expansion of the settlement in Revava.
-
And you work with Sondra Baras'
Christian Friends of Israeli Communities.
-
She has said, I believe on British tv,
after Trump came to power...
-
that Palestinians should accept the fact
that they will never have sovereignty.
-
In a draconian regime,
the first thing you're saying is...
-
teaching people
how to speak a new language.
-
So this is...
-This is settler lingo.
-
This is settler language...
-
as if ignoring the United Nations and
all the resolutions that passed since 1967.
-
In that sense you say,
"we'll accept whatever happens."
-
But in the meantime,
you commit financially and materially...
-
to organizations whose goal is to make
the West Bank as Jewish as possible.
-
I'm not concerned with the opinions
of those you mentioned.
-
But you do support them financially.
-We also back those against Netanyahu.
-
We know what we're supporting.
Donations go to specific projects.
-
It's about supporting an ideology...
-We don't support any ideology.
-
This is strange. If I tie Allard's laces
and then slap you...
-
I can't say, "I slapped you,
but I also tied his laces, so it's okay."
-
You're supporting foundations that contribute
to the colonisation of territories.
-
We just support people.
-You're not just supporting people.
-
Yes, we do.
We're discussing opinions.
-
You have your opinion
about the territory's future.
-
That's irrelevant, as I don't oversee
a donating foundation.
-
You donate a lot of Dutch money.
-It's not that much for those territories.
-
Such extreme remarks aren't a problem?
-You say extreme, but she may have a point.
-
Currently it might be better
if Israel controls the area...
-
rather than having a Palestinian authority
or even Hamas in control.
-
Purely in pragmatic terms.
-
Just now, the Palestinian population suffers
from a poorly organized leadership...
-
so maybe it's more of a pragmatic approach
than an ideological approach.
-
I must go against this,
for there's much more going on than...
-
It complicates when Palestinians
want their land...
-
but when it's about Palestinian leadership,
it's straightforward.
-
You know that's very complex too.
-Extremely complex.
-
What would it take for Christians for Israel
to stop supporting or donating?
-
When would we pull out?
-
When violence is used.
-
Can you define that?
-
Well, violence. Weapons maybe?
-
We don't do that. It's against our policy.
We want no part in that.
-
Stealing land?
-Nor in that.
-
Colonising?
-We abide by the law.
-
What can we agree upon
after this conversation?
-
You'll look into Revava.
We've just told you the story.
-
If it's illegal and hampers people
like Jamal...
-
...you'll end your support,
the homes must go.
-
They'll have to be moved.
-Where?
-
I don't know yet.
-
Then there's Nati Rom.
-
You'll wash our hands of him.
-
Look, we'll talk with Nati Rom.
-
You've confronted me today with
a telephone conversation I was unaware of.
-
We'll talk to Nati Rom and
see what the consequences will be.
-
So spreading an ideology would not be
enough for you to pull out?
-
This is about politics, not ideology.
That's okay.
-
This is a free country, and so is Israel.
Different opinions are allowed.
-
Everything you do
has been allowed so far.
-
How does the foundation see it?
You speak for it, right?
-
We don't support people
based on their political views.
-
We just support all people.
-
But that's not what you guys do, right?
-
Never mind.
I'm also hitting a wall, I think.
-
Why use organizations like CFOIC
or Nati Rom's...
-
or the Itamar foundation,
where we know that people...
-
Itamar is notorious
for its violent settlers.
-
Nati Rom makes strong public statements
about their West Bank vision.
-
Ms. Baras tells the BBC
she wants sovereignty to go to Israel.
-
And you support that financially.
-We support the people financially.
-
I can't sugarcoat it.
-
All we do,
is support activities in Israel.
-
We support people who need it.
-Who say these things.
-
In Israel, there are many different
opinions on the future of the conflict.
-
You choose to support a certain opinion.
-Our support is independent of that.
-
But you are supporting it.
It amounts to the same thing.
-
You support the people
who hold these views...
-
even if you say you don't support them
because of those views.
-
That's what we do, indeed.
There's nothing wrong with that.
-
Because in Israel there are many opinions
about the future of the West Bank.
-
They believe it would be best
if Israel were in charge.
-
So, that's the conclusion.
-
It doesn't matter if she says that,
she can still expect money from CvI.
-
So, that's cleared now.
-
We've come to the point.
-Great.
-
Right? We have everything we needed.
We wanted to hear your reaction.
-
Have a good day.
-Thank you.
-
Is the wine from the occupied territories
sold here too? Why is that?
-
Is this part of the interview?
-Sure.
-
Because it's very tasty wine.
-Even if it's from occupied territory.
-
It's under dispute.
-It's occupied.
-
It's under dispute.
-Occupied.
-
There's a dispute, to be clear.
-Yes, but it's clearly occupied.
-
This is George Orwell 101.
If you want a draconian regime...
-
the first thing you do, is teach people
how to speak a new language.
-
It's the settler lingo,
the settler language.
-
As if ignoring the United Nations and all
the resolutions that passed since 1967.
-
So, Israel occupied these territories,
there are territories that are occupied.
-
Israel recognizes that this is occupied
territory in terms of international law.
-
It's not illegal to occupy a territory.
That's the key thing.
-
It's problematic, it should be temporary,
but it's not illegal to occupy land.
-
What is illegal, is to then send settlers
into the occupied territories and so on.
-
This is where we're going into legal...
-
One of the tactics of settlers to say
there's nothing problematic about it...
-
is to blur the fact
that this is occupied land.
-
So, this is again a type of debate
about terminology...
-
that appeared immediately after 1967,
disappeared and now reappears again...
-
in which the hawkish Israeli right
is saying: Don't call it occupied territory.
-
They'll call it disputed territory.
-
That's what the international community
says. It's simply in Area C...
-
which is under Israeli control
according to the Oslo Accords.
-
The wine's from that area.
-Which is occupied.
-
It's clearly labeled.
We have a booklet on the wine's origin.
-
Occupied territory.
-Disputed.
-
Does it taste well?
-It's delicious. Thank you.
-
She was consistent in what she told us,
but unclear, I think.
-
It's almost as if she wanted to convey
a different truth from the CvI website.
-
The things that were said
and we've discovered.
-
I think her main point is they can
give money to whomever they want.
-
That it doesn't matter what those people
believe or what world view they promote.
-
They're not responsible
for what is done with the money.
-
Which, of course, is absurd. It means
you can say you're not responsible...
-
while giving tens of or even hundreds
of thousands of euros to extremist groups.
-
You can't just wash your hands of that,
while saying you support them.
-
I don't know what just happened there.
-
We'll go and review the facts again,
as we're wont to do.
-
In any case, we've learned that they'll be
talking to Naty Rom, whatever that means.
-
It didn't feel as if she took that
seriously. Let's see what she does.
-
She's going to call Roger van Oord.
-
I'm curious to see what will come of that.
As for the rest, you've said it all.
-
The question is how seriously
they're going to take this.
-
They have the same information we have.
-
It took us just a few days of googling
to find out what is going wrong.
-
Did they fail to do that? Or did they
do it, but then just ignored it?
-
That's also possible.
-
I think they have, because she just said
it doesn't matter what someone says.
-
They support all opinions and all views...
-
even if they are
as you just presented them.
-
On a closing note:
I hope that nothing happens to Jamal.
-
He contributed to this programme,
but is his safety now at risk?
-
He's aware, but we wish him all the best.
-
We don't tolerate
any antisemitism, islamophobia...
-
or other forms of discrimination
and racism in the comment section.
-
Please, refrain from that.
-
Stick to the facts and nothing
but the facts. This story requires it.
-
We don't want to seen any hateful stuff.
-
What a story.
-
I need the land.
I wish somebody could step in...
-
and help us with that,
to be able to go there...
-
but I know whether there's somebody
or not, or somebody can do it or not...
-
these people don't listen.
These settlers don't listen to nobody.
-
This entire movement is forbidden
under international law, so that's clear.
-
It's a bad thing. Palestinians
are suffering the most damage.
-
It is their land that is being taken.
It is their freedom of movement...
-
that is being restricted
in a very nasty and intrusive way.
-
So, that money is used
to violate human rights.
-
CvI has paused its support to Nati Rom,
pending further investigation.
-
Sara van Oordt,
CvI's media and communication manager...
-
has told the Nederlands Dagblad
and Investico...
-
that support to Nati Rom has been
suspended, pending further investigation.
-
As for the new housing estate in Revava,
she says:
-
If it is proven that the houses are built
on the land of a Palestinian farmer...
-
we will make sure it is moved elsewhere.
-
CvI does not want to build on any land
that has been stolen.'
-
In a reaction, Roger van Oordt states that
Nati Rom could not have meant to say...
-
'that he received cash or any money
off the books, from either me or CvI.'
-
He writes that 'this never happened'.
-
Arjen Domburg writes
on behalf of Stichting Israël Heartland...
-
'that they never donated
money off the books....
-
or financed the purchase of weapons.'
-
'The work of undercover reporters
who lie about his indentity...
-
while inciting, manipulating
and pressuring'...
-
make it 'problematic to answer questions',
he maintains.
-
Nati Rom says that his foundation never
received money off the books, or cash...
-
from CvI, or people associated with CvI.
-
'They never donated money for weapons,
and they never will.
-
These are the facts. In all the work we
do, we follow Israeli law to the letter.'
-
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