US fundraising site suspends Palestinian boycott account

JERUSALEM – A U.S. firm that makes fundraising software says it has suspended the account of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel following a complaint by a pro-Israel group that the campaign has links to militant groups.

Donorbox confirmed early Friday that the BDS campaign’s account was temporarily blocked while it investigates the allegations.

The decision comes in response to a complaint from Shurat HaDin, an Israeli advocacy group that files lawsuits around the world against Israel’s foes, submitted in co-ordination with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry.

San Francisco-based Donorbox says its decision does not mean that it considers BDS to be a “nefarious” organization. It says it is merely suspended the account while it conducts a review.

The BDS movement called the Israeli move “McCarthyite.”