NEW YORK — The House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees released a second memo on May 29, 2026, detailing findings from an ongoing investigation into whether U.S. donor funds distributed by PEF Israel Endowment Funds supported groups involved in Israel's 2023 anti-government protests. Two Republican-led House committees sent a letter to PEF regarding its activities.

In March 2025, the committees sent document requests to six U.S. and Israeli nonprofits, including PEF. Jim Jordan chairs the House Judiciary Committee, and Brian Mast chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee. A memo released in July 2025 alleged that U.S. taxpayer money flowed through American foundations to Israeli groups that organized the 2023 protests against the government's judicial reform.

The committee memo states that between 2021 and 2024, PEF moved more than $884 million to over 1,000 Israeli organizations. It claims PEF sent approximately $18 million to Blue and White Future in 2023, described in the memo as the protest coalition's headquarters. The May 2026 memo itemized specific grants, including $525,000 to Women Wage Peace, $462,000 to Darkenu, $110,000 to Sikkuy-Aufoq, and $30,000 to Standing Together, which the memo credits with initiating the first demonstrations.

The committee did not allege that PEF knowingly handled government money. The memo states that PEF received $187,000 from Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, an entity that had taken in tens of millions in federal grants. The memo argues that once funds are mixed, determining which dollars paid for what becomes impossible. It also states that PEF's grantmaking might constitute a violation of its tax-exempt status, as U.S. charities are prohibited from intervening in political campaigns. The committee has not issued a final finding, and the memos indicate oversight will continue.

Geoffrey Stern, President of PEF, stated that the only government-traceable money the committee found reaching PEF was $187,000. Stern said, "We have not received any funds from US AID." He added, "There's no reason the government would ever send money through PEF." Stern indicated that the total of all federal grants listed by the committee across all organizations amounts to less than $600,000, while the committee credits PEF with moving approximately $1 billion to Israel. Stern stated, "Every charity we support has already been approved by the State of Israel." He added that every recipient must be a registered organization with a valid management certificate and qualify as the equivalent of a U.S. 501(c)(3). Stern said, "We are not the local cop." He further stated, "We are not a gatekeeper."

Why It Matters

This investigation examines financial flows from U.S. donors through PEF to Israeli organizations involved in the 2023 anti-government protests. The inquiry seeks to determine if U.S. tax-deductible donations supported political activities, which could have implications for the tax-exempt status of organizations like PEF. The findings could raise questions about the oversight of U.S. charitable donations to foreign entities and adherence to regulations prohibiting intervention in political campaigns.