• The Charity Commission issued an official warning to Chabad Lubavitch Centres in London & Essex after it raised over £2,000 to support a soldier in the Israeli military.
• The regulator emphasised that failure to comply with its directives could result in further action, such as formal inquiries.
In December 2023, the Charity Commission initiated a compliance case against the Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited charity after a fundraising campaign was launched in October to support a soldier stationed in northern Israel. Chabad Lubavitch describes itself as an Orthodox Jewish charity.
Helen Earner, Director for Regulatory Services at the Charity Commission, stated: “It is not lawful, or acceptable, for a charity to raise funds to support a soldier of a foreign military. Our Official Warning requires the charity to set things right and is a clear message to other charities to stay true to their established purposes.” The Commission further warned that failure to implement the necessary changes outlined in the Official Warning could lead to additional regulatory action.
Since October 2023, the Charity Commission has opened over 200 regulatory cases related to Gaza. More than 40 of these cases have been referred to the police; however, this specific case was not referred, as its breach pertains to charity law rather than criminal law.
The charity raised more than £2,000 through the campaign. Some of these funds had been unaccounted for. £937 was sent directly to the individual soldier, while the remainder was used to purchase non-lethal military equipment, which was also sent to the same soldier, the charity said. The Commission deemed these actions a breach of trust and misconduct.
This marks the first known instance of the Charity Commission issuing an official warning for fundraising involving a foreign military. The commission added that British charities with “appropriate purposes can, in law, raise funds to promote the efficiency of the UK armed forces. However, providing aid or military supplies to any foreign armed force is not a charitable purpose, and no charity can legally undertake such activity.”
The Commission instructed the charity to ensure its future activities strictly align with its charitable purposes and to adopt a robust policy for managing risks. “Failure to follow its recommendations,” the regulator warned, “could lead to further regulatory action, such as the opening of a formal inquiry.”
Israeli Forces have been accused of war crimes by Human Rights Organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last year, the charity regulator disclosed that that it was evaluating a complaint against AAC, a Jewish fundraising organisation alleged to have facilitated donations to an Israeli charity supplying equipment to soldiers operating in Gaza.
The Charity Commission stated that it was investigating the Boys Clubhouse, a charity located in Hendon, North London, following its organisation of an event celebrating the return to the UK of a British individual who had been serving with the Israeli army in Gaza.
