Charity Commission seeking legal advice over UK charities donating millions to illegal Israeli settlements

The Charity Commission has sought advice from the Attorney General regarding the legality of charities donating millions to illegal Israeli settlement projects in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). This includes UK Toremet, who the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) has targeted in a crucial legal campaign.

UK charities donating to Israeli settlement projects in the OPT

The two UK-registered charities, Kasner Charitable Trust and UK Toremet Ltd, are responsible for transferring a total of £5.7m to an Israeli high school in the illegal settlement of Susya in the West Bank, between 2017 and 2021.

ICJP wrote complaints to the Charity Commission in May 2024 and August 2024, regarding UK Toremet raising funds for four organisations responsible for blockading and disrupting aid to Gaza and/or extremist settler violence. This included UK taxpayer-funded Gift Aid.

Of these four organisations, Im Tirtzu, Tzav 9, Torat Lechima, and Hashomer Yosh, the UK government sanctioned the latter two in October 2024. Alongside this, the US government and the European Union also sanctioned Tzav 9.

The Charity Commission issued UK Toremet with an Action Plan following ICJP’s complaint. However, it is clear that such muted regulatory action is insufficient to tackle UK Toremet’s ongoing settlement complicity. The Attorney General must call for the Charity Commission to stringently investigate all Israeli organisations fundraising through UK Toremet’s platform. This is especially vital given ICJP’s investigations into further UK Toremet links, including raising funds for groups that the UK has now sanctioned.

Not isolated incidents: time for the Charity Commission to step up

UK Toremet systematically facilitates fundraising for Israeli organisations that operate in the OPT. The Charity Commission cannot treat the school in Susya as an isolated incident. There must be a blanket policy investigating groups that UK Toremet facilitates fundraising for. It is clear that it is either unable or unwilling to carry out due diligence on all the charities using its platform who may be acting in violation of international law.

ICJP has also included evidence relating to UK Toremet in two submissions to the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the OPT Francesca Albanese. In December 2024, ICJP answered a call to evidence ahead of her report on private sector crimes. And, in July 2025, ICJP submitted evidence regarding UK Toremet, ahead of her report on corporate complicity.

But, UK Toremet is not an isolated example either.  As it stands, the Attorney General and Charity Commission are merely reactive about individual instances when charities get flagged. Instead, ICJP is demanding that they proactively investigate and take action against British charities that may be facilitating international crimes in the OPT. This should include Achisomoch Aid Company (AAC) and JNF UK, two charities the ICJP has submitted complaints about previously.

Featured image via the Canary