The Briton who helped 6,000 Jews move to Israel

What Happened

Dov Newmark, a UK-born migration consultant, assisted over 6,000 Jews in moving to Israel during his 15-year tenure as Director of UK Aliyah for Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN), an organization that actively promotes migration to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights. NBN's website advertises specific settlements—such as Tekoa, Katzrin, Elkana, Mateh Binyamin, Mitzpeh Yericho, and Shiloh—using language that presents them as part of Israel, omitting their status under international law, and providing community contacts for prospective migrants. Newmark now operates his own consultancy, Make Aliyah Easy, which offers free planning and post-move support funded by commissions from service providers, some of which may operate in occupied territories. The UK Foreign Office reiterated that settlements are illegal and advised against economic activities there but declined to comment on Newmark's case.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

This story highlights how private organizations and individuals, including British nationals, facilitate the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, undermining international law and the viability of a two-state solution. By normalizing and actively promoting life in settlements, these efforts entrench the occupation, contribute to the displacement of Palestinians, and raise questions about the enforcement of UK policy against such activities.

Watch For

Monitor for any UK government investigation or statement regarding Dov Newmark’s or Nefesh B'Nefesh’s settlement-linked activities; track potential legal challenges or sanctions against organizations promoting settlement migration; watch for Israeli government approvals of new settlement construction in the West Bank, particularly in communities advertised by NBN; and note any responses from Palestinian authorities or international bodies to settlement promotion activities involving foreign nationals.