A recent fundraiser held at the Mercer Island Community Center has sparked outrage and concern among locals after reports surfaced suggesting the event was far more politically charged—and potentially more dangerous—than advertised. Susanna Rose, a writer and researcher with the Middle East Forum, attended the January event under the guise of an ordinary ticket holder, and what she witnessed raised serious questions about the event’s affiliations, messaging, and attendees.
Rose told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that she was dispatched to the event after the Middle East Forum began investigating the activities of the REACH Education Fund (REF), the organization behind the evening’s program. Initially appearing to be a charitable group focused on education for Palestinians, REF’s deeper ties raised red flags. The Middle East Forum has characterized the organization as part of a Hamas-aligned Islamist charitable network operating within the United States—a network with connections to groups that have pledged support to entities with direct links to Hamas.
Inside the fundraiser for terror on Mercer Island:
Writer & researcher for the Middle East Forum Susanna Rose said, “It was certainly a surprise to see (Bothell) Deputy Mayor Al-Kabra so proudly using Gaza imagery as part of his political identity." pic.twitter.com/mw0V0Q7IbI
— Ari Hoffman 🎗 (@thehoffather) April 17, 2025
“I bought a ticket just like anyone else and showed up to observe,” said Rose. “Certain things were as expected, but I wasn’t anticipating the presence of Bothell’s Deputy Mayor, Rami Al-Kabra.”
Al-Kabra, a controversial figure who has previously made headlines for his open displays of anti-Israel sentiment, was seen mingling with the event’s organizers and VIPs. His political position and public support for pro-Palestinian causes—often in ways critics describe as extremist—added a layer of alarm to the evening.
“It was certainly a surprise to see Deputy Mayor Al-Kabra so proudly using Gaza imagery as part of his political identity,” Rose said. “It’s deeply concerning when local officials openly bring that into their official roles.”
Al-Kabra is the founder of Seattle’s chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a group that was listed by the Justice Department as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation Trial, the largest terror trial in US history. Steve Emerson, founder and director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, previously told the Jewish News Syndicate that “CAIR was created as a Hamas front group and still functions as a propaganda arm of Hamas to this day.” The Biden administration scrubbed CAIR from a White House task force on antisemitism after the group’s co-founder, Nihad Awad, celebrated the Oct 7, 2023, atrocities.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, “Antisemitism is in the DNA of CAIR. It is part of CAIR’s intrinsic fiber. CAIR leaders often traffic in antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric…some of its leaders have cultivated suspicion among the public toward a wide array of American Jewish institutions.”
Rose said that Al-Kabra “bragged about Bothell being one of the first cities to call for a ceasefire, his advocacy with WA Democratic senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and praised the international students facing the threat of deportation under President Trump for disruptive campus protests.” He also equated Palestinian terror prisoner with Israeli hostages in Gaza and emphasizing the importance of referring to them both as “hostages.” Al-Kabra previously did the same thing during the Washington State Democratic Convention.
Rose wrote for the Middle East Forum about Al-Kabra, “It was unsettling not just because of his alignment with hostile narratives overtly biased against Israel, but because it revealed how deeply these sentiments had permeated local governance. Hearing an elected official openly boast about using his public office to push what many consider extreme rhetoric at an event for a Hamas-aligned charity demonstrated that his activism had infiltrated political decision-making.”
Also in attendance were several prominent individuals tied to REF, including its founder and board members, whose associations have prompted concern. According to research conducted by the Middle East Forum, REF has featured in Hamas-run media and its scholarship efforts are closely tied to the Islamic University of Gaza—an institution founded by a Hamas co-founder and reportedly used by the group as a recruitment hub.
But the evening wasn’t just about fundraising. Among the honored guests were the parents of Rachel Corrie, the Olympia-born activist killed in Gaza in 2003 during an anti-Israel protest. Corrie’s death made her a symbol among left-wing activists, and her parents’ presence was met with repeated shoutouts and applause throughout the night.
“The event’s narrative framed Israel solely as an oppressor and destroyer,” Rose explained. “There wasn’t a single mention of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s role in the ongoing suffering. That omission says a lot.”
Adding to the event’s profile were two keynote speakers, social media-famous doctors from Kuwait, Omar Al-Thawini and Dr. Muhammad Al-Khanzari, and Mohamed Al-Kandari of Kuwait, who have a combined Instagram audience of over 2 million followers. entered the room like rock stars.
The pair called the Palestinians in Gaza “our teachers, our engineers.” They added that their trip to Gaza was the only trip where they had gained weight, despite being in a war zone, because the Gazans always insisted that their guests were well-fed.
The audience itself reflected the coalition-building that Rose believes groups like REF are actively pursuing. “It was a heavily Arab and Muslim crowd, but not exclusively so,” she said. “There was also a notable presence of Jewish progressive allies, including members of Jewish Voice for Peace,” a radical anti-Israel group.
Among them, Rose recognized local author Alice Rothschild, known for her critical stance on Israel and affiliation with JVP. “Her presence really signaled how these organizations are working hard to align themselves with left-leaning coalitions and amplify their cause.”
Other groups involved at the event included the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), a notorious activist group known for organizing disruptive protests blocking highways and airports, who were there selling bags adorned with Palestinian ‘resistance’ imagery.
The local auctioneer for the event appealed to the crowd’s commitment to the antisemitic Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement against Israel. He called out, “Who here has been boycotting? If you’ve been boycotting, you’ve been saving money. Now is the time to take that money and give it back—this money that you donate will feel better than any money you could ever spend on yourself.”
He added, “Every dollar, every gift, serves as a shield against the hellfire.” The crowd of 200 raised approximately $257,000 during the event.
The Mercer Island fundraiser, according to Rose, reveals just how far-reaching and complex the web of political activism tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has become, even in suburban America. What was promoted as a charitable dinner turned out to be, in her view, a platform for ideological messaging and potential fundraising for organizations with highly questionable affiliations.
She wrote for the Middle East Forum, “It struck me how this event wasn’t just about fundraising—it was about shaping narratives and identities, passing them on to the next generation. Events like these aren’t simply charitable gatherings—they’re orchestrated efforts to reinforce a worldview inimical to Western democracies.”
