UK Lawyers for Israel
| Formation | September 2016 |
|---|---|
Chief Executive | Jonathan Turner |
Chairs |
|
| Website | www |
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) refers to two entities in the UK, the UKLFI Charitable Trust, set up in 2016, and UKLFI Ltd, a private company.
According to the UKLFI Charitable Trust's website, UKLFI set it up in September 2016 "to facilitate fund raising from UK donors for parts of its activities that are charitable under UK law".[1] UKLFI Ltd, a private company, was incorporated in 2010.[2] This sort of dual structure typically allows organisations to comply with UK charity law and receive tax-deductible donations, all while undertaking political activities not usually permitted to charities.[3]
Natasha Hausdorff, who joined UKLFI in 2014, has been described as the organisation's public figure, appearing on news shows and giving evidence to the foreign affairs select committee.[3]
UKLFI is known for launching numerous legal claims against what it sees as anti-Israel activities, sometimes described as "lawfare".[4] It challenged the UK Government over its suspension of 30 arms export licences to Israel and raised a complaint about the International Criminal Court’s seeking of arrest warrants against Israeli ministers.[4]
Activities
In 2023, UKLFI filed a complaint against Chelsea and Westminster Hospital over an artwork display made by children in Gaza. The complaint said that the art made Jewish patients feel "vulnerable, harassed and victimised". UKLFI CEO Jonathan Turner called the display "a wall of anti-Israel propaganda." The hospital removed the artwork in response to the complaint.[5][6]
Gaza War
During the Gaza War, Jonathan Turner criticized a Lancet analysis on impact of the conflict on life expectancy in Gaza. Turner stated that the war might reduce obesity in Gaza and "increase average life expectancy in Gaza".[7] The Palestine Solidarity Campaign called Turner's remarks "utterly sickening" and that they "illustrate exactly what it means to be 'for Israel' and how low its apologists are prepared to sink in their attempts to justify genocide in Gaza." The Council for Arab-British Understanding said that Turner's comments were "atrocious". In response, Turner said his statement was "accurate and objective" and that the Lancet letter was based on "entirely unfounded speculation, which also ignored factors that might result in lengthening the lives of Gazans".[7]
On 27 May 2025, a report was published by UK advocacy organization CAGE International accusing UKLFI of "concealing its funding sources, refusing to disclose the financial backers driving its campaign of professional harassment and governance, and institutional racism".[8] In August 2025, it was reported that the UK Charity Commission was investigating a complaint against UKLFI, raised by CAGE International.[8] That same month, the Public Interest Law Centre and the European Legal Support Center, a pro-Palestine advocacy group, filed a complaint against UKLFI over its alleged use of SLAPPs and operating as an unregulated law firm.[9]
See also
References
- ^ "Charity Commission launches investigation into UK Lawyers for Israel's charitable trust". Middle East Eye. 25 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ "UKLFI Limited". Companies House. UK Government. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ a b Harriet Williamson (28 July 2025). "Meet the Pro‑Israel Lawyers Hounding the NHS". Novara Media. Novara Media. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Israel's lawfare unmasked as notorious UK legal group caught seeking aid from Tel Aviv". Middle East Monitor. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
- ^ Shalan, Aimee (1 March 2023). "Lawyers had children's art banned from a hospital. What has Britain come to?". The Independent. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ Sherwood, Harriet (27 February 2023). "London hospital takes down artwork by Gaza schoolchildren after complaint". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ a b Haroon Siddique (10 May 2025). "UK Lawyers for Israel condemned over claim war may reduce obesity in Gaza". The Guardian.
- ^ a b Mathilda Heller (4 August 2025). "UKLFI and Campaign Against Antisemitism being investigated by UK Charity Commission - report". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
- ^ Rogerson, Paul; Moloney, Charlie (14 August 2025). "Law centre complains to SRA about UK Lawyers for Israel". Law Gazette. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
