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Royal Holloway Palestine Society ordered to return funds after financial probe
Students’ Union finds further breaches and keeps fundraising suspended until new committee receives training
Royal Holloway’s Friends of Palestine society has been told to return funds after an investigation found further evidence that it broke university finanical procedures.
The Students’ Union at the University of London branch has also kept the society suspended from fundraising until its new committee undergoes training, following an investigation first reported by Jewish News in July.
Royal Holloway Students’ Union (RHSU) said it had identified one instance in which funds were transferred outside its agreed procedures for fundraising and charity donations.
The findings follow an appeal by student Brodie Mitchell, who submitted new evidence after raising concerns over alleged donations to Zayir UK, an organisation previously accused of links to Hezbollah.
In a complaint response sent to Mitchell on 1 September and seen by Jewish News, RHSU said: “In line with our investigation, we have found further evidence of the group failing to follow agreed procedures for fundraising and charity donations.”
It added: “Our investigation identified one instance where funding was transferred outside agreed procedures. As a result, RHSU will be requesting all funds are returned to us as a registered UK charity, at which point we will decide appropriately how funds are reallocated.”
The Union did, however, reject part of the claims surrounding the movement of the money.
It said its investigation concluded that social media posts “did not accurately reflect the route by which funds were transferred” and that the new evidence did not materially change the findings behind its original decision.
RHSU said the Friends of Palestine society would “continue to be suspended from fundraising activity” until its new committee receives further training and the Union is satisfied its procedures will be followed.
The Students’ Union will also review its fundraising processes and guidance for student leaders and liaise with the university over its financial procedures.
It said it would update the Charity Commission following an initial report to the regulator on 21 July.
Jewish News reported in July that the society had been suspended after Mitchell alleged it made donations to Zayir UK, an unregistered organisation which says it supports humanitarian projects in Lebanon.
Mitchell previously alleged that £1,820 from one fundraiser was donated to Zayir UK. He also highlighted a separate January 2025 campaign which raised £3,425.95 and was advertised as allocation 30 percent of the proceeds to the organisation.
The completed investigation does not confirm that the money followed the route described in those posts, with RHSU specifically finding that social media material did not accurately reflect how funds were transferred.
Zayir UK has denied any political affiliation, saying it operates in accordance with UK laws and provides humanitarian aid to all Lebanese communities.
The organisation has previously faced scrutiny over alleged links to Hezbollah, which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK.
Earlier this year, Jewish News revealed that Zayir UK founder Hussein Harake had his Heathrow Airport security pass withdrawn after the airport was alerted to public tributes he had made to Hezbollah fighters.
Mitchell, a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow, said the latest findings should result in antisemitism training and tighter financial safeguards.
He told Jewish News: “Financial training is not enough. The committee should undergo antisemitism training too. The fact that student donations were even potentially directed to a group with alleged Hezbollah ties should alarm every one of us. I will not share my classrooms with people who support terror organisations.
“As a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow, I am returning to campus determined to confront antisemitism in all its forms, including hatred of the world’s only Jewish state.
“I remain in contact with the university and will work constructively to challenge hate, extremism and support for terror groups.”
Mitchell said the case formed part of wider concerns over antisemitism and extremism on British university campuses.
He added: “What may seem small is adding to the picture that, put simply, Jewish students and allies are unsafe on British campuses. We would quite rightly call our far-right Neo-Nazi extremism, so we must apply the same standard when confronting Islamist extremism.”
A spokesperson for Royal Holloway, University of London, said: “Royal Holloway Students’ Union (RHSU) is an independent organisation and is responsible for overseeing the activities of its societies and the application of its own policies and procedures.
“RHSU has now concluded its investigation into concerns relating to fundraising activity by one of its societies and has communicated the outcome of that review with the relevant parties.”
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