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KCL students’ union issued Charity Commission guidance over group accused of Hezbollah links
UKLFI raised concerns after an Islamic society at Kings College London repeatedly collaborated with and promoted fundraising for Zayir UK
King’s College London Students’ Union has been issued with regulatory guidance by the Charity Commission after concerns were raised about a student society fundraising with an organisation accused of links to Hezbollah.
The regulator confirmed it engaged with KCLSU following a complaint from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) about the activities of the university’s Ahlulbayt Islamic Society (KLC ABSoc) and its work with Zayir UK.
In an email to UKLFI seen by Jewish News, the Commission said: “Following consideration of the available information, the Commission engaged with the Charity and issued regulatory advice and guidance.”
It said its assessment was complete and the case had now been closed.
UKLFI alleges there are links between Zayir UK, the similarly named Zayer Charity Association in Lebanon and Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Evidence submitted by the lawyers shows KCL ABSoc working with Zayir UK on several occasions.
In December 2025, the society promoted a Mawlid event involving a raffle, with a poster saying “all raffle proceeds” would go to Zayir UK. A post after the event thanked Zayir UK among its sponsors.
The society had also promoted an emergency appeal for Lebanon in 2024. A fundraising page for a “Zayir UK x KCL ABSoc” hike said it was raising money for displaced families and children in Lebanon.
The relationship continued this year, with KCL ABSoc advertising its annual potluck Iftar “in collaboration with” Zayir UK.
UKLFI also submitted a LinkedIn profile identifying a KCL student as both president of KCL ABSoc and a “Charity Volunteer” at Zayir UK.
The lawyers also raised concerns about what they say are links between Zayir UK and the Zayer Charity Association in Lebanon.
One photograph submitted by UKLFI is described by the group as showing the sister of Zayir UK founder Hussein Harake at a charity event in Beirut alongside a woman wearing a Hezbollah scarf.
UKLFI also pointed to social media posts from the Lebanese association, which it said raised concerns about Hezbollah. One image shows a card bearing the group’s yellow emblem.
The Charity Commission has not said it upheld UKLFI’s allegations about Hezbollah or found that KCLSU or its student society supported the terrorist organisation.
Zayir UK has previously faced scrutiny over its alleged links to Hezbollah.
In May 2025, Jewish News revealed that Harake had been stripped of his Heathrow Airport security pass after the airport was alerted to public tributes he had made to Hezbollah figures on social media.
A Heathrow spokesperson said at the time that police were informed and Harake’s airport pass was “immediately” withdrawn.
Harake had previously told Hezbollah-run television station Al-Manar that Zayir’s work included a department for children which was “organised with the social work of Hezbollah”.
His sister, who helps run the organisation in Lebanon, was also reported as saying it cooperated with “social work entities within Hezbollah”.
Zayir UK denied any wrongdoing or political affiliation, saying it operated in accordance with UK law and provided humanitarian aid to all Lebanese communities.
The concerns at King’s follow a separate investigation into student fundraising involving Zayir UK at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Earlier this month, Jewish News revealed that Royal Holloway’s Friends of Palestine society had been told to return funds after the Students’ Union found further evidence that it had failed to follow agreed procedures for fundraising and charity donations.
The union found one instance where money had been transferred outside its agreed procedures and kept the society suspended from fundraising until its new committee receives financial training.
The investigation followed allegations that £1,820 raised for Lebanon had been donated to Zayir UK. An earlier campaign raised £3,425.95, with a social media graphic saying 30 percent would go to the organisation.
Royal Holloway Students’ Union did not confirm that the money had followed the route described in the social media posts. It said the funds transferred outside its procedures would be returned to the union, which would decide how they should be reallocated.
A UKLFI spokesperson said: “We welcome the fact that the Charity Commission took our concerns seriously enough to engage directly with King’s College London Students’ Union and to issue regulatory advice and guidance.
“Student unions are charities, and their trustees have important responsibilities to exercise proper oversight over the activities and fundraising of affiliated societies. Where concerns are raised about an organisation’s possible connections with a proscribed terrorist organisation, proper due diligence is essential.
“We hope that the Commission’s intervention will ensure that KCLSU, and other students’ unions, put appropriate safeguards in place before allowing affiliated societies to collaborate with or fundraise for outside organisations.”
Jewish News has contacted KCLSU for comment.
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