UK Charity Linked to Donations Supporting Israeli Veterans
A British investigation has raised questions over whether taxpayer-supported charitable donations in the UK were used to provide psychological treatment and other assistance to Israeli soldiers and veterans who served in Gaza.
According to an investigation published by Declassified on Thursday, the Yahalom Foundation, which supports current and former members of Israel’s elite Yahalom military engineering unit, directed British donors to make contributions through UK Toremet, a registered charity in Britain.
Correspondence reviewed by the investigation indicated that donations processed through UK Toremet could qualify for Gift Aid, allowing the UK government to add 25% to eligible contributions. The Yahalom Foundation reportedly told donors that the full value of their contributions would be transferred to the foundation.
Among the initiatives promoted to donors was a £5,000 therapeutic programme intended to support soldiers returning from Gaza, along with funding for individual psychological treatment. The foundation has also sought £100,000 to establish a memorial hall dedicated to Israeli soldiers killed while serving.
UK Toremet confirmed that it had provided funding to the Yahalom Foundation for PTSD treatment for beneficiaries. The charity said its monitoring indicated that the money was used for the agreed charitable purpose and maintained that mental-health treatment falls within welfare and medical relief permitted under English law.
However, UK Toremet disputed the Yahalom Foundation’s characterization of the organization as a “partner platform” and said it would request that the description be amended.
The Yahalom Foundation states that it supports people who have served or are currently serving in the Israeli military. The Yahalom unit has participated in military operations in Gaza, including activities involving the destruction of infrastructure.
The issue has also drawn attention to UK charity regulations. The Charity Commission has previously stated that British charities cannot legally raise funds to directly support individuals serving in a foreign military.
The investigation comes as the Charity Commission examines eight UK charities over allegations linked to activities in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. UK Toremet has not disclosed whether it is among the organizations currently being investigated.
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