An official inquiry has been initiated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales to scrutinise donations made by charities to illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories. This action follows a formal complaint from Labour MP Melanie Ward, raising significant concerns regarding the legality and ethical implications of such funding.
Inquiry Details
The investigation aims to determine the extent of charitable donations directed towards illegal settlements, specifically assessing whether these funds align with the charities’ stated purposes. The Charity Commission will initially investigate eight unnamed charities, with plans to expand the scope as further information becomes available.
Stephen Roake, the assistant director for high-risk compliance at the Charity Commission, stated, “Serious allegations have been made about UK charities operating in illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. Our first priority is to establish the facts. Only then can we determine if regulatory action is warranted, based on our findings and the evidence we gather.”
This inquiry comes in the wake of revelations by the Guardian, which reported last year that two UK charities had transferred nearly £5.7 million to the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva high school in Susya, located in the Israeli-occupied territories. Subsequent details uncovered that at least 32 charities had reportedly contributed approximately £28 million to these settlements, which are deemed illegal under international law.
Political Context
In June, former Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper addressed the House of Commons, revealing that she had requested the Charity Commission to investigate these troubling allegations. She highlighted concerns over the misuse of charitable systems to support illegal settlements and the potential violation of tax relief regulations linked to UK gift aid.
Responding to Cooper’s statements, Melanie Ward expressed frustration that the Charity Commission had not acted more swiftly since it was first made aware of the issue in July of the previous year. She, along with 140 Labour colleagues, has called for a total ban on such donations, rather than merely an inquiry.
Broader Implications
The Charity Commission indicated that its inquiry would consider the locations of the charities’ partners and the recency of their alleged activities. Additionally, the investigation has been coordinated with law enforcement and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), although the Metropolitan Police’s war crimes unit has currently stated it is not pursuing any investigations into charities concerning these donations.
Recent reports also revealed that a British charity has been financing a religious school at the centre of expansion efforts for an illegal settlement in Hebron. Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron reportedly sent nearly £200,000 to the school from 2019 to 2024, coinciding with new construction approvals issued by far-right officials in Israel.
Abtisam Mohamed, a Labour MP and member of the foreign affairs committee, welcomed the Charity Commission’s investigation but stressed the need for thorough scrutiny of all identified charities. She asserted, “Funding illegal Israeli settlements is extremist activity linked to the violence and dispossession of Palestinians and bears no relation to charitable activity.”
Why it Matters
The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for charitable organisations and their funding practices, particularly concerning international law and ethical considerations. As the inquiry unfolds, it may expose deeper systemic issues within the charity sector, challenging the integrity of charitable giving and its alignment with humanitarian principles. As public scrutiny intensifies, the need for transparency and accountability in charitable funding has never been more critical.
