Charity Commission meeting not limited to West Bank settlement concerns, says Labour peer

A Labour peer has said that a meeting between the Charity Commission and the Middle East minister to discuss allegations about UK charities funding illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank also raised concerns about charities with alleged links to Iran and other Islamist organisations.

Conservative peer Lord Stuart Polak questioned whether the meeting with Minister Hamish Falconer on Wednesday was “specifically to discuss UK charities having links in disputed areas.”

Polak, honorary president of the Conservative Friends of Israel, asked Labour minister Lord Lemos to clarify “whether the said Minister raised the issue of charities in the UK supporting the IRGC, the Muslim Brotherhood, or Palestinian rejectionists—or, dare I say it, is it just Jewish charities that are concerning the Government?”

Lemos responded: “On the Charity Commission, the meeting took place this morning. I can confirm that it was not confined to charities that support West Bank settlements. I am very happy to ask the department to write to the noble Lord about the others, but I know it involved some of the places, charities, and activities that he is talking about.”

Labour leader Keir Starmer addressed the issue of West Bank settlements during Prime Minister’s Questions, responding to claims made by Labour MP Melanie Ward about 32 UK charities. Ward, former chief executive of Medical Aid for Palestinians and now MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, said she had worked with Israeli human rights researchers to identify 32 British charities “funnelling money to settlements on Palestinian land.”

The Prime Minister replied: “Settlements are a flagrant breach of international law and no UK charity should be supporting them. The Middle East Minister met the Charity Commission today to discuss these concerns. We announced yesterday further sanctions against those who support settler violence, and we will continue to look at strengthening those sanctions. British businesses should have no economic involvement in illegal settlements.”