Thirty-two charities in England and Wales have donated at least $37 million to illegal Israeli settlements, according to a Labour Party MP. Melanie Ward, a former CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians, warned that if gift aid was claimed on these donations under the UK tax relief scheme, British taxpayers would have indirectly subsidized illegal settlements. The Guardian reported on Wednesday that around $7.5 million of the total could have come from taxpayers through the charities, a situation Ward described as “deplorable.”
Government Response
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated on Tuesday that the Charity Commission has been ordered to investigate British charities' links to settlements. Ward urged the commission to take action and sever any charitable ties to settlements, emphasizing that the existence and expansion of Israeli settlements in Palestine are globally recognized as major obstacles to peace. She argued that supporting settlements is extremist and not beneficial to the UK public, and risks violating international law.
Specific Charities Named
Ward identified two charities: Kasner Charitable Trust and UK Toremet. Together, they donated approximately $7.6 million to the Bnei Akiva Yeshiva high school in the Israeli-occupied West Bank last year. Kasner also donated to a yeshiva in Hebron, while UK Toremet gave tens of thousands of pounds to Regavim, an extremist pro-settler group co-founded by far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Regavim supports demolishing Palestinian homes and is subject to EU sanctions. UK Toremet processes currency for the Jgive platform, which facilitates donations to Regavim and other Zionist groups, including Shivat Zion Lerigvy Admata, recently sanctioned by the UK.
Legal and Ethical Concerns
Ward asserted that funding illegal settlements is not charity and violates British and international law, based on positions from the UN, UK, and International Court of Justice. A Charity Commission spokesperson confirmed they are carefully considering the “serious matters” and actively reviewing legal and compliance issues related to charities operating in Palestine.
