UAE WOMEN'S GROUP COLLECTS MONEY FOR PALESTINAINS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 005030 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/ARP, S/CT, INL/ENT, EB/ESC TREASURY FOR ZARATE, GLASER, AND MURDEN E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/08 TAGS: EFIN ECON EAID TC SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN'S GROUP COLLECTS MONEY FOR PALESTINAINS Classified by DCM Richard Albright for reasons 1.5 (b & d). ¶1. (SBU) Econchief attended a charity Iftar "take away" hosted by an Abu Dhabi women's group in his neighborhood. Members of the group cooked traditional Iftar foods and sweets and sold them at a member's house. Customers could buy the homemade delicacies, reheat them and have them for Iftar (the breaking of the fast during Ramadan). The international women's group (including Iraqis, Emiriatis, Palestinians, and Americans) also hosts a Christmas bake sale. The purpose of the sales is to raise money to provide aid to the Palestinians. In the words of one member, "the need there is so great," that the group wants to help. ¶2. (SBU) The group collects the money but then turns it over to the UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) to administer. Using the RCA has two advantages. One, it allows the women to contribute to a defined project - currently a dental clinic. The group doesn't need to "adopt" a complete project, but can take a share of it. Two, it provides assurances that the money is going to help the needy. The RCA provides feedback to the group, including giving them receipts and providing them pictures of "their project." ¶3. (C) Comment: In the post-September 11 world, the UAEG has acted to control the international activities of charities. There is an "understanding" that all charitable organizations in the UAE must channel their international assistance through one of two semi-governmental organizations: the RCA, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation in Dubai. For their part, the ladies were very happy to work with the RCA. One stressed that, with the RCA, they knew that the money was going to help the needy and not to line the pockets of someone in the Palestinian Authority. The group also worked to provide food to Iraqis in the aftermath of the Gulf War, but has returned to its efforts on behalf of the Palestinian people. End Comment Wahba