Below is the latest newsletter from the Tennessee Council for Political Justice.

Newletter #184 — Will Governor Haslam Have to Choose Between Israel and the Ali Family?

On August 29, 2015, Governor Haslam and his delegation traveled to Israel to explore trade opportunities.

In the past Haslam spoke highly of his appointee Samar Ali and her father Subhi Ali. In fact, in response to criticisms regarding the appointment of Samar to the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Governor’s office highlighted her father’s credentials, leaving out all mention of Subhi Ali’s leadership of the anti-Israel Jerusalem Fund.

The Jerusalem Fund is a pro-Palestinian organization actively committed to the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaign designed to end Israel as a Jewish state, to destroy it by any means possible. A review of the Jerusalem Fund, its founders and their connections, activities and current day governing board members highlights that they remain committed to turning the U.S. away from its support and alliance with Israel.

Subhi Ali from Waverly, Tennessee, joined the Jerusalem Fund Board in 2000 and has served as Chairman of the Board since 2005.

The founder of the Jerusalem Fund (JF), Hisham Sharabi, endorsed the anti-Israel rhetoric and actions of pro-Palestinian groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood’s HAMAS. Sharabi was succeeded by Subhi Ali who continues to serve as the Chairman of the JF Board.

Sharabi supported any number of criminal organizations such as WISE (World and Islam Studies Enterprise). WISE was started by Sami al-Arian, who was also the head of the Islamic Committee for Palestine in the U.S., “the active arm of Islamic jihad movement in Palestine,” the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

The PIJ is alive and well and so is the Jerusalem Fund

In August 2015, Israel’s security forces thwarted PIJ’s planned bombing and shooting attack on Jewish worshippers at Joseph’s Tomb in Samaria. One of the four terrorists is also listed as a HAMAS operative and another, a Palestinian policeman.

Iran is PIJ’s main supporter and supplies the weapons in Gaza, “be they weapons intended for the Hamas movement or for the PIJ.” Iran also sees its goal of destroying Israel consistent with its support of PIJ:

[Iran] also accepts that a base of Iranian missiles be established in the Gaza Strip, and believes that the organizational and military structure of the PIJ is similar to that of Hezbollah…”

The Jerusalem Fund keeps a copy of the HAMAS charter posted on its website. The charter identifies HAMAS as Muslim Brotherhood and advocates violent jihad as the only solution.

The Jerusalem Fund website also posts information briefs suggesting that there are positive aspects to HAMAS. Is this an effort to help legitimize HAMAS regardless of its terrorist designation?

What does Chairman of the Board Subhi Ali say about the Jerusalem Fund’s support for HAMAS or the agenda to destroy Israel?

Does Haslam know his friend Subhi Ali supports terrorists who are dedicated to killing the Jews and wiping Israel off the map?

Maybe on his way back from visiting Israel, Haslam will rethink with whom he chooses to be aligned.