UK Charity Commission takes action after complaints over Great Israeli Real Estate event

The UK Charity Commission confirmed on Thursday that it formally engaged with the trustees of the Edgware United Synagogue after a barrage of complaints was received regarding the Great Israeli Real Estate event that took place in London on 14 June.

The event promoted the sale of properties in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, triggering protests at the time.

The Charity Commission said it exercised its statutory powers under section 15(2) of the Charities Act 2011 to issue regulatory advice and guidance concerning the charity's decision to host the event. 

It added that the trustees of the Edgware United Synagogue must now take account of and act upon the guidance moving forward.

The development comes after the Commission said its statutory regulatory powers reflect its assessment that the issues raised by the complaints, such as that from the International Centre of Justice of Palestinians (ICJP), warranted formal regulatory engagement.

The complaint from the ICJP argued that the synagogue had allowed its charitable resources and premises to host a commercial event, where attendees were persuaded to buy properties in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The group also said that the event had gone ahead despite the trustees receiving detailed legal warnings before it took place, raising concerns over trustee governance, the discharge of trustees' legal duties, due diligence, the use of charitable assets, and reputational risk.

Another key concern about the event was the obligation of trustees to act exclusively in the best interests of their charity, while maintaining public trust and confidence.

The ICJP argued that by allowing the event to proceed, the trustees failed to consider the legal warnings and obligations, despite being made aware of the issues.

A statement from the ICJP, however, said that the Commission’s response was not sufficient, noting the serious nature of the matter.

The group said that they had submitted thorough evidence which showed the event raised serious concerns under both international law and UK laws.

“Where a charity permits its premises and resources to be used in connection with conduct that raises such serious legal concerns, the Charity Commission should take robust regulatory action to uphold charity law and protect public trust and confidence in the charitable sector,” a statement from the ICJP said.

The organisation called for a more adequate response and called for the Charity Commission to show that it is ready to use all of its powers in cases where charities risk being connected to serious breaches of law.

“Failing to do so risks undermining public confidence in charity regulation and sending the wrong message to trustees about the standards expected of them under charity law,” the ICJP said.