National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir recently canceled the budgeting of a program to combat violence and crime in the Arab sector, stating that its subcontractor – the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) – is a “leftist organization,” according to a Kan radio report on Tuesday.
“Stop the Bleeding” is part of the government’s decision 549, which obliges the ministry to operate such a program. It has been operating in seven Arab authorities for the past year and encourages the cooperation of elements in the community as a complement to the activity of law enforcement authorities. Ben-Gvir’s office said to Kan: “The minister is examining all the transfers of funds in the ministry and the distribution of the budgets.”
JDC, a Jewish relief organization based in New York City, has a large Israeli branch in Jerusalem. Since 1914, the organization has supported Jews living in Israel and throughout the world, and is active in more than 70 countries. The committee offers aid to Jewish populations in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East through a network of social and community assistance programs. The JDC also contributes millions of dollars in disaster relief and development assistance to non-Jewish communities.