UK charity regulator opens case into London Jewish community centre over event promoting Israeli settlements

Britain's charity watchdog has opened a regulatory compliance case into the Jewish Community Centre London, known as JW3, after the venue hosted an event that promoted medical clinics in Israeli settlements considered illegal under international law, Middle East Eye has revealed.

The MedEx event, held at JW3 in Camden on 25 October, was primarily organised by the Israeli government. It billed itself as a "can't miss event for doctors and medical students from across the United Kingdom who are considering Aliyah", the term for Jewish migration to Israel.

Leaflets distributed at the event advertised clinics in settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, which the British government deems illegal in line with international law, Sky News reported. The leaflets, handed out by the Israeli healthcare provider Terem, promoted vacancies in the West Bank settlements of Ma'ale Adumim, Beitar Illit and Modiin Illit, as well as in Katzrin in the Golan Heights, which Britain recognises as occupied Syrian territory.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, a UK-based legal group, submitted a formal complaint against JW3 to the Charity Commission earlier this week. The complaint, seen by Middle East Eye, points to the International Court of Justice's July 2024 advisory opinion, which it says "reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements".

"By providing its premises for an event at which employment opportunities in illegal Israeli settlements are provided, JW3 may have facilitated activities contributing to the maintenance and continued operation of those settlements," the complaint said. It added that promoting recruitment into facilities operating in illegal settlements raised concerns about whether the charity's involvement "may have facilitated conduct connected to the unlawful transfer of civilian populations into occupied territory", and suggested JW3's trustees may have failed to carry out adequate due diligence and risk assessments before allowing the event.

The group asked the regulator to investigate JW3's role in hosting MedEx UK, including what trustees knew about the event's purpose, participating organisations and promotional materials. It also urged the Commission to consider "whether the circumstances warrant referral to the police or other relevant authorities for investigation into potential criminal offences".

The Charity Commission told Middle East Eye on Friday: "We have opened a regulatory compliance case into JW3 Trust Limited to assess concerns raised with us. We will be engaging with the charity's trustees to gather more information and determine if there is any regulatory role for the Commission." Middle East Eye has approached JW3 for comment.

The case comes after the British government recognised Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory as illegal in September and announced comprehensive sanctions on Israeli settlements. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told parliament that "we will ban the advertising in the UK of illegal settlements", though the sanctions have not yet come into force. Earlier this month, the World Travel Market exhibition in London advertised an Israeli agency involved in building illegal settlements.

Shaima Dallali, the ICJP's legal researcher, said on Friday: "We are talking about a recruitment event held at a UK charity where people were being encouraged to take up jobs in illegal Israeli settlements. JW3 cannot simply wash its hands of what took place on its premises. There are serious questions about what its trustees knew, what checks were carried out and whether the charity's involvement went beyond providing a venue."

Dallali added: "The promotion of employment in illegal settlements is not something that should be brushed aside as an ordinary recruitment exercise. We have repeatedly brought evidence of UK charities funding illegal Israeli settlements to the Charity Commission, yet meaningful accountability remains elusive. Now we are seeing charitable premises being used to promote jobs in those settlements."