British charities referred to UN for 'aiding crimes against Palestinians'

 The ICJP referred case studies of four charities, including Trinity College Cambridge and Jewish National Fund UK, to the UN

UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights Situation in the Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese speaks at a press conference at a session of the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva, 27 March 2024 (AFP)

By Imran Mulla

Published date: 4 December 2024 13:18 GMT | Last update: 10 hours 11 mins ago

A number of British charities have been referred to the United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, over allegedly "aiding and abetting international crimes against Palestinians".

These include both the University of Cambridge's Trinity College and Jewish National Fund UK, a charity which has former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as honorary patrons.

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based rights group, announced on Monday that it had answered Albanese's call for evidence ahead of a report to the UN Human Rights Council on "how the private sector has contributed to establishing and maintain Israel’s presence" in the occupied territories.

The ICJP said its submission explains the case studies of four charities, including Trinity College Cambridge and the UK arm of the Jewish National Fund.

Middle East Eye revealed in February that the prestigious Cambridge college, which is one of Britain's wealthiest landowners, had $78,089 invested in Israel's largest arms company, Elbit Systems, which produces 85 percent of the drones and land-based equipment used by the Israeli army.

MEE also reported that the college had millions of dollars invested in other companies arming, supporting and profiting from Israel's war on Gaza.

On 7 May, the ICJP submitted a formal complaint to the Charity Commission requesting an investigation into Trinity’s investments. This followed the ICJP issuing two successive legal notices to the college in response to MEE's initial report.

The latest development comes after Trinity was last week accused of "misleading" its students and others by failing to deny reports that it was divesting its investments in arms companies. 

'They undermine the public’s trust'

The ICJP has also referred the case of Jewish National Fund UK to the UN.

This follows the ICJP writing in August to Richard Hermer KC, the UK attorney general, urging him to revoke the organisation's charitable status.

It has in the past been heavily criticised for its activities, which have included donating £1m to "Israel's largest militia".

In late November, MEE reported that the charity displays a map on its website including the occupied Golan Heights, West Bank and Gaza Strip as part of Israel.

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This contradicts the status of the territories under international law - and also contradicts the position of the British government, which recognises the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Golan Heights as being under Israeli occupation. 

ICJP Legal Officer Mira Naseer told MEE: "Sadly, there are countless examples of charities in the UK that are not acting according to charitable purposes.

"This includes colleges that invest in companies that are complicit in Israeli crimes and organisations that help perpetuate these crimes. They undermine the public’s trust in the charity sector altogether and the work of those who genuinely contribute to our society."

She added: "Our submission to the call for input highlights cases from ICJP's work, including Trinity College and JNF UK, as complicit third sector organisations.

"By shining a spotlight on third sector complicity, the UN Special Rapporteur has an opportunity to help fill the accountability gap that currently exists in the UK."

The other charities the ICJP referred to the UN were UK Toremet, which has been accused of funding Israeli organisations that supply equipment to the Israeli military, and Achisomoch Aid Company, which the Charity Commission is investigating after an ICJP complaint earlier this year.

The company donated to an Israeli medical charity, Ezrat Achim, whose current activities include supplying what ICJP describes as “combat and tactical equipment” to Israeli soldiers.

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