Exclusive: UK Charity Commission gives 'regulatory advice' to synagogue that hosted Great Israeli Real Estate Event

The UK's Charity Commission has issued "regulatory advice" to trustees of the Edgware United Synagogue in London, which hosted a real estate event that promoted properties in illegal Israeli settlements in June, Middle East Eye can reveal.

On 15 June MEE reported that properties in illegal Israeli settlements were advertised at the Great Israeli Real Estate Event.

The event's organisers later admitted properties in Israeli settlements were promoted at the synagogue, saying it happened "by mistake".

The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based legal group, submitted a formal complaint to Britain's charity regulator on 15 June, requesting that it "open an urgent regulatory compliance case into Edgware United Synagogue" in connection to the event on 14 June.

The complaint said: "This complaint concerns the use of charitable premises and charitable resources to facilitate a commercial event promoting property located in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (“oPt”) notwithstanding extensive public concern, legal warnings, media scrutiny and direct notification of serious legal, regulatory and reputational issues arising from the underlying activities."

The complaint added that "charitable premises and charitable resources were made available for a commercial exhibition at which properties located in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territory were promoted and marketed.

"The trustees thereby permitted the charity’s facilities and reputation to be associated with, and used in support of, illegal activities which had already been identified as giving rise to significant legal, regulatory and reputational concerns."

The Charity Commission responded to the complaint on 28 July.

Its response, seen by MEE, said "we considered the concerns highlighted in the complaint, reviewed the available evidence, and engaged with the Charity's trustees.

"Following our engagement, the Commission provided the trustees with regulatory advice and guidance under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011."

Section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011 gives the commission the power to issue formal regulatory advice to trustees of charities.

"The trustees are expected to take account of and act on this advice going forward," the commission said. "The Commission has now closed its case into the Charity. Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention."

'Charities cannot ignore credible legal concerns'

An ICJP spokesperson told MEE: "The Charity Commission's decision to issue formal regulatory guidance demonstrates that these concerns were sufficiently serious to warrant regulatory intervention.

"While the Commission did not open a statutory inquiry, its engagement makes clear that charities cannot ignore credible legal concerns where their premises or resources are used to facilitate activities connected to illegal Israeli settlements."

However, the spokesperson added, "while the Commission's response sends an important message to the wider charitable sector that trustees are expected to undertake proper legal due diligence, carefully assess reputational and regulatory risks, and ensure that charitable assets are not used in ways that may conflict with their legal duties, ICJP considers that the Commission's response did not go far enough, especially in relation to the serious nature of the conduct in question."

The spokesperson said the commission should have taken "robust regulatory action to uphold charity law and protect public trust and confidence in the charitable sector".

MEE has contacted the Edgware United Synagogue for comment.

Then-Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in June that ministers had asked the Advertising Standards Authority to investigate the Great Israeli Real Estate Event.

Harey Zahav developers participated in the event, promoting Kfar Eldad, an illegal West Bank settlement south of Bethlehem, and Teneh Omarim, another illegal settlement near Hebron.

Tivuch Shelly, a major Israeli real estate agency, advertised property in Ma'ale Adummim – an occupied West Bank settlement – in a brochure at the event, describing an "exciting new project just 10 minutes from Jerusalem!".

Jerusalem Real Estate, meanwhile, advertised projects in French Hill and Ramat Eshkol, illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem, in a brochure.