Settlement stays and army days: How UK charities promote migration to Israel

What Happened

Middle East Eye reported that UK-registered charities, including the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA) and Friends of Bnei Akiva (Bachad), are promoting gap-year and migration programmes that facilitate travel to occupied Palestinian territories and participation in Israeli military-linked activities. According to the report, UJIA promotes programmes run by organisations like Aardvark and Bina that include excursions to Hebron, the Golan Heights, and sites in the West Bank. Additionally, the report identified that some programmes, such as the Marva course, allow participants to live on Israeli military bases, wear uniforms, and undergo field training.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The report highlights the role of UK-based charitable funding in supporting programmes that operate within occupied territories, which are considered illegal under international law. The involvement of these charities in promoting migration and military-linked experiences for British citizens underscores the ongoing debate regarding the intersection of charitable status, foreign policy, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Watch For

Monitor potential regulatory scrutiny from the UK Charity Commission regarding the activities of these organisations and their compliance with charitable objectives. Additionally, observe if there are any legislative or public policy shifts in the UK concerning the funding of programmes that operate in occupied territories.