UK charity reported to regulator over fundraising for Israeli soldiers
A British charity has been referred to the UK's charity regulator after a legal group accused it of spreading hate speech and fundraising for soldiers in the Israeli army.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based group, submitted a formal complaint to the Charity Commission against Mizrachi Israel Support Trust or Mizrachi UK.
Mizrachi UK is a UK-based charity that states its purpose is to provide vocational training to Britain’s Jewish community and elected representatives in the UK and Israel. It presents itself as "the UK’s leading framework for religious Zionism".
In its complaint, the ICJP included screenshots from Mizrachi UK's newsletter, Facebook page and website, which appear to show the charity actively fundraising for soldiers fighting in the Israeli army.
The posts submitted by the ICJP include calls by Mizrachi UK for donations to its Tzevet Perez emergency fund, which raised money to pay for tactical gear given to soldiers, including ceramic bulletproof inserts, tactical helmets and miscellaneous items like mattresses, tents and warm clothing.
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The complaint also included quotes from orators featured in Mizrachi UK's events, which include a speaker referring to Palestinians as "devils, cruel animals not animals".
Another one called on Israelis to "drown" Palestinians in Gaza "like we drowned the pharoah and his people in Egypt".
'Allowing charities in the UK to fundraise for unlawful purposes and spread divisive rhetoric undermines the public’s trust in the charity sector'
- Mira Naseer, ICJP legal officer
Mira Naseer, ICJP legal officer, said the group is concerned by the number of charities it is finding are raising money for soldiers in the Israeli army.
“Allowing charities in the UK to fundraise for unlawful purposes and spread divisive rhetoric undermines the public’s trust in the charity sector,” said Naseer.
“The Charity Commission must investigate and take serious action against any wrongdoing: a slap on the wrist will not suffice.”
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission confirmed to Middle East Eye that it had "received a complaint about Mizrachi (UK) Israel Support Trust and [is] currently assessing information to determine any next steps.”
Mizrachi UK did not respond to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Regulatory cases
The ICJP’s complaint follows a Charity Commission announcement in January which declared it unlawful for British charities to raise funds or send money to soldiers in the Israeli army.
The commission issued a warning against Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited after the charity received 180 complaints for raising money for a soldier fighting for the Israeli army in northern Israel.
In October 2023, Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited set up a fundraising page for a soldier stationed in northern Israel.
The page, which was eventually removed in January 2024, raised approximately £2,280 ($2,804). From that amount, the charity sent £937 to an individual soldier.
Since October 2023, the Charity Commission has opened more than 200 regulatory cases related to the war on Gaza.
The commission said the investigations involved charities with different positions on the war.
Israeli forces in Gaza have been accused of war crimes and genocide by rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last year, the charity regulator told MEE that it was assessing a complaint against AAC, a Jewish fundraising organisation accused of facilitating donations to an Israeli charity providing equipment to soldiers fighting in Gaza.
The Charity Commission also said it was investigating the Boys Clubhouse, a charity based in Hendon, north London, after it held an event marking the return to the UK of a British man who had been fighting for the Israeli army in Gaza.
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