Israel bans Palestinian charity Interpal

JERUSALEM, July 9 (UPI) -- Israeli authorities say they have banned the British charity Interpal from operating in the West Bank or Gaza as part of crackdown on terrorism-linked groups.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak listed Interpal -- or the Palestinian Relief and Development Fund -- among 36 charities in Israel and the occupied territories that have ties to terror groups, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

An unnamed Israeli military official told the newspaper the country was moving against charitable organizations suspected of aiding the Palestinian militant group Hamas, saying such groups "encourage terrorist attacks against Israel" and give "financial support to terrorism infrastructure."

The Times said Interpal hadn't replied to Israel's decision Wednesday but it has strongly denied wrongdoing in the past. One of its chief defenders is British Member of Parliament George Galloway, who donated his winnings from an appearance on the "Celebrity Big Brother" TV reality show to the group.

"Every smear against them has fallen away and the truth about their work amongst some of the most oppressed people on the Earth has prevailed," Galloway said at the time, the newspaper reported.