Key facts
- A UK charity, Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron, has provided nearly £200,000 to a religious school in Hebron between 2019 and 2024.
- The school is at the center of expansion plans for an Israeli settlement in Hebron.
- A new dormitory for the school received construction approval in June.
- Critics argue the funding and expansion contribute to violence and restrictions against Palestinians.
- The charity's stated purpose is educational and charitable work 'in the state of Israel', not Palestine.
- Concerns have been raised with the UK Charity Commission regarding potential breaches of rules by charities funding settlements.
A British charity, Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron, has provided nearly £200,000 to a religious school in Hebron, located at the heart of controversial Israeli settlement expansion plans. The funding, provided between 2019 and 2024, has drawn criticism from human rights advocates who argue it supports illegal settlement activity and fuels violence against Palestinians.
The school, Yeshivat Shavei Hevron, recently received approval for a new dormitory construction. This development follows a decision by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich to grant Israel planning authority over Hebron, overriding a long-standing international agreement. Critics, including Palestinian human rights defender Issa Amro and Israeli advocacy group Peace Now, state that the expansion will lead to increased aggression towards Palestinians, loss of livelihoods, and further segregation.
International figures, including former US president Jimmy Carter and former Mossad head Tamir Pardo, have previously described the situation in the occupied West Bank as apartheid. The charity's own deed of trust specifies support for educational and charitable work 'in the state of Israel,' with no mention of Palestine, raising questions about potential contravention of its stated mission.
Concerns about the misuse of UK charities to fund settlements were highlighted in a letter from Labour MP Melanie Ward to the Charity Commission, identifying 32 charities that collectively donated at least £28 million to Israeli settlements. The Charity Commission has acknowledged these concerns and shared information with the Metropolitan police's war crimes unit, though no formal investigation is currently underway. The UK Foreign Secretary has also stated that charity systems are being abused to support illegal settlements.