STORY
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory class inquiry into concerns about charities working in illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. The fact-finding investigation will initially examine eight charities identified through information recently submitted to the regulator, although their names have not been published.
The Commission will investigate whether charitable funds or other resources have been used in the settlements, the purposes of any expenditure and whether the spending furthered the organisations’ stated charitable purposes. It will also assess whether charity assets or beneficiaries are at risk and whether regulatory action is required.
The regulator stressed that opening the inquiry did not amount to a finding of wrongdoing and said the number of charities covered could be expanded. Information about the concerns has been shared with the police and HM Revenue and Customs, while a report will be published after the inquiry or relevant stages of it have concluded.