Olmert Demands Taxes on Donated Items for Israel’s Needy
Excerpts;
“Acting Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ehud Olmert demanded last month that taxes be paid on charity items recently donated by American Jews to help Israel’s needy population prepare for winter.”
“Olmert’s act raised a storm of angry criticism from Israeli and U.S. Jewish leaders, and has also created an unusually tense diplomatic climate sparking claims that trade treaties between Israel and America have been breached.”
“According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, Olmert made the decision to enforce an old, outdated law demanding a 28.5% tax and an additional airfare tax on U.S. charitable donations to Israel’s poor. The donations, which include medical supplies, clothing and toys, were the result of a charity drive in Jewish communities across the U.S. aimed at delivering the contributions to Israel in time for the holiday of Chanukah. ”
“A spokesperson at Olmert’s office in the Ministry of Finance claimed the decision was made to protect Israel’s second-hand garment industry …”
Israel Textile Union Chairman Ramsi Gabai denied the above claim:
“‘There has not even been a second-hand garment industry in Israel for 30 years. It is an absurdity to suggest that taxing American charity in any way defends the Israeli garment industry, or that such protection is at all desired by the Israeli textile industry. There is a Free Trade Agreement with the United States on all garments, which certainly covers charity if it covers items sold for profit. We ourselves at the Textile Union have a very large and successful program for the member firms to donate excess clothing inventory to charity. Are we to be taxed on our charity to the needy next?‘”
It has been apparent for some time that Ohlmert is just as cognitively impaired as Sharon….
The political characters in Israel are all truly disgusting and I want to know why the Jewish People continue to accept that situation.
Vote Hazit…your only choice for a truly Jewish, Nationalist power.