Jewish National Fund is taking the CRA to court over plan to revoke its charitable status

The Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF) is taking the minister of national revenue to court, arguing a decision to revoke its charitable status was «flawed and fundamentally unfair.»

«Today's legal appeal will allow JNF Canada's concerns to be considered before an impartial legal process,» JNF national president Nathan Disenhouse said ina statement released Thursday.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) conducted an audit of JNF Canada's operations over a complaint that it used charitable donations to build infrastructure for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), in violation of Canadian tax rules.

The JNF funds numerous projects in Israel, such as reforestation efforts and the construction of playgrounds. However, as CBC News previously reported in 2019, it has also funded infrastructure projects on Israeli army, air and naval bases.

In its guide for Canadian registered charities carrying out activities outside Canada, the CRA states plainly that «increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Canada's armed forces is charitable, but supporting the armed forces of another country is not.»

The JNF filed a notice of appeal with the Federal Court on Thursday seeking to overturn the CRA's decision.

The JNF said in the filing that the minister «was under great public pressure» to revoke the charitable status and that the CRA's ultimate decision was biased as a result.

The decision to revoke the JNF's charitable status «should be vacated or quashed on the basis that there is a reasonable apprehension of bias in the minister's decision,» the court filing said.

Decision 'Simply unjust': Disenhouse

The JNF's filing said the minister first notified the JNF of its intention to revoke its charitable status in 2019. In a media statement released