# Daily Mail publisher pays Interpal £120k in libel damages

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2019/06/17/daily-mail-publisher-pays-interpal-120k-in-libel-damages/
- Published: 2019-06-17T09:10:46+01:00
- Author: Melanie May

**Daily Mail and MailOnline publisher Associated Newspapers has paid £120,000 in
damages to Interpal over its false allegations of terrorism and extremism.**

Associated Newspapers has published full apologies and paid £120,000 in libel damages
to the trustees of [Interpal](https://www.interpal.org/), a UK-based registered 
charity that provides relief and development aid to Palestinians in need. Associated
Newspapers will also be paying the trustees’ legal costs.

The trustees’ complaint related to articles published last year on 2 and 15 August
2018, which alleged that Interpal had supported a “hate festival” in Gaza in which
children acted out the murder of Jewish people. However while Interpal and others
had donated to the festival, it did not fund or support the play, had no prior knowledge
of it and condemned both the play and the activities it depicted as soon as they
became aware of it.

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The 15 August article also referred to Interpal having been listed in the United
States as a “specially designated global terrorist organisation”.

However, the US designation had been made back in 2003 and has always been strongly
contested by Interpal and the trustees while investigations by the Commission have
found no reason to alter its charitable status.

Two full apologies have been published on MailOnline, one on the MailOnline App,
and prominently in the print edition of the Daily Mail. In apologising unreservedly
to the Trustees, MailOnline accepted that “neither Interpal, nor its trustees, have
ever been involved in or provided support for terrorist activity of any kind.”

Speaking after the resolution of the libel complaint, Ibrahim Hewitt, the Chairman
of the trustees, said:

> “Interpal and the trustees welcome the decision taken by Associated Newspapers
> both to apologise formally and pay a suitable sum in damages, in recognition of
> the gravity of the falsehoods that were published. The timing and amount of the
> settlement are particularly noteworthy within the context of the ongoing wider
> agenda to politicise humanitarian aid to Palestinians. We hope that this significant
> success will encourage commentators and others to take seriously their responsibility
> for reporting unbiased, accurate information to the general public and service
> providers.”

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