British group wants JNF charity status revoked for funding 'Israel'
3 Min Read
A British advocacy group is seeking to revoke the Jewish National Fund's charity status for funding illegal Israeli activities.
-
A Palestinian examines a torched vehicle, seen the morning after a rampage by Israeli settlers in the West Bank village of Jit, on August 16, 2024. (AP)
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) on Wednesday called on the UK Attorney General to revoke the charity status of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) UK, stressing that the organization is involved in funding Israeli military actions and unlawful settlements, Anadolu Agency reported.
“The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has written to the Attorney General’s Office, calling on him to use his powers to revoke the charity status for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) UK for its role in funding the Israeli military and supporting Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)," the ICJP said in a statement.
It explained that the JNF UK has been using its charity status to fund illegal Israeli settlements and military activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, which violates UK charity laws.
According to the statement, the JNF UK is affiliated with "Israel’s" Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL), which has been involved in property seizures and the forced displacement of Palestinians.
This follows a recent decision in Canada, where JNF Canada lost its charity status for similar activities.
The ICJP called on the Attorney General to ensure that UK charities are not engaged in illegal activities.
Last year in March, the ICJP, located in the UK, urged the British government to refer "Israel" to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes committed in Palestine. This comes shortly after the UK decided to lead a coordinated group of ICC State Parties in jointly referring the situation in Ukraine to the Court.
"It is a gross double standard that while the UK government assists and facilitates international accountability and legal action against the leader of one nation for war crimes, they support and engage in friendly relations with another," Tayab Ali, ICJP director and partner at Bindmans LLP, said.
The ICJP director made the comments in a letter submitted to former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak following London’s decision to lead the joint referral of the situation in Ukraine to the ICC.
"Palestinians are entitled to the same rights and protections under international law as those living in any other territory, and it is imperative that the UK government demonstrates that it supports justice and accountability for the perpetrators of war crimes in all circumstances – regardless of whether the perpetrators of those war crimes are deemed to be friend or foe," he added.
