The UK’s largest representative body for British Jews has come under pressure to end its support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, as dissenting voices in the community become mainstream.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews faces a crucial juncture on Sunday when it wraps up an investigation into a bloc of its own members accused of public dissent in violation of its rule book.
Those members wrote a public letter condemning Israel’s war in Gaza in the Financial Times in April. The publication has left the board − historically the representative for the Jewish community to UK officialdom − facing unprecedented public divisions between the deputies, who are elected by their synagogues or charities.
The fracture is expected to cast a cloud over the board's role as the community representative, especially during a time of tensions. “The board can’t claim to speak in one Jewish voice any more,” said one supporter of the letter.
The letter marked the first open rupture within the British Jewish establishment, causing a backlash and the suspension of deputy director Harriett Goldenberg, who led the 36 signatories.
But supporters of the letter – who spoke on condition of anonymity – say opposition to the war and frustration with the board’s position is far-reaching, and expect more pressure to emerge in larger numbers once the investigation is over.
Unity is strength. Division serves only our enemies
Phil Rosenberg,
president, Board of Deputies
There are added concerns about how the board responds − or does not − to recent changes in UK government policy on the conflict.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced the suspension of trade talks with Israel on Monday, using his strongest language yet to condemn the country's “intolerable” and “repellent” actions in Gaza.
Illegal settlers were also placed under sanctions, and the Israeli ambassador Tzipi Hotovely summoned.
“If [the board] speak up against [UK criticism and measures] they will lose trust from the [British] government. It's in their interest to stay quiet,” a supporter of the letter of dissent said.
The Board of Deputies diverged from its policy of not taking a stance on Israeli politics in 2023, when it refused to meet far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich during a visit to the UK.
Since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, it has issued statements in support of the war, including criticism of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israeli leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant.
Though debates about the war are commonplace among British Jews, the 36 deputies − about a 10th of the board − have also been criticised for “airing dirty laundry” in public. At the very least, the tensions are shattering an image of unity which the Board of Deputies has sought to project.
The board's president, Phil Rosenberg, also said the letter had misled the public as it was presented as an official statement from the organisation.
“The impression that has now been put forward … is that yesterday’s letter … is the position of the Board of Deputies as an organisation, and therefore the position of the UK Jewish community as a whole. This is emphatically not the case,” he wrote in the letter's aftermath.
Supporters of the letter say they take their cue from Israeli society – where support for a deal with Hamas to return the hostages has grown to about 70 per cent, and families of the remaining hostages are calling for an end to the war.
They say their aim is not to create a split from the board. “There won’t be a split. It’s about how the board comes to represent the diversity of views [on the war],” one supporter told The National.
Some put the board’s reaction down to Mr Rosenberg's political agenda. The former Labour councillor and interfaith advocate campaigned on a message of “unity” ahead of his election in May last year.
“I urge us all to remember that unity is strength. Division serves only our enemies,” Mr Rosenberg wrote in response to the letter in April.
Powerful caucus
The fallout comes as two Jewish movements, Reform and Liberal, announced they had merged on Monday to create one single Progressive Movement, which would represent 30 per cent of British Jews.
The two movements had diverged from orthodox or conservative counterparts by allowing female rabbis, mixed-faith couples and same-sex marriage. Though the merger is unrelated to Jewish positions on the Israel-Gaza war, it is expected to give critics a stronger platform.
Ed Kessler, who chaired an advisory board overseeing the merger, said: “This is the biggest change and most significant development in British Judaism since the second world war.” Progressive Judaism would provide a voice and a space that brought together “timeless Jewish tradition with the diversity and values of 21st-century Jewish life”, he added.
There is also growing disillusionment with the Board of Deputies from a younger generation of British Jews who view it as an arcane structure that lacks the ability to represent them.
Ripples across Europe
The fallout in the UK is being watched by other Jewish communities in Europe.
French historian Marc Knobel, who recently broke his silence on the Israel-Gaza war, described the suspension of the signatories as “absolutely unacceptable”.
Mr Knobel was one of four prominent French Jews last week to speak out against Israel's military campaign in Gaza for the first time.
“Those who hold a more universalist view of Judaism believe that this situation cannot continue and that it is time to take action,” he told The National.
More than 40 Jewish and non-Jewish writers, philosophers, and actors also wrote an opinion article on May 11 saying that Israel’s war against Gaza was disproportionate and did not respect the laws of war.
The Representative Council of French Jewish institutions (Crif) has highlighted in its response that open debate is part of Jewish tradition.
Mr Knobel emphasised that French Jews who recently spoke up had previously feared fuelling a wave of anti-Semitism – which nearly quadrupled in France in 2023 – as well as exposing internal divisions within the Jewish community that could be exploited by the pro-Palestinian left.
With nearly 450,000 members, France's Jewish community is the largest in Europe. “Today, the debate is marked by excessive polarisation; there is no longer any room for rationality when it comes to discussing the conflict,” Mr Knobel said. “We are all deeply disoriented, and many of us fear for Israel's survival. A great number of us are working tirelessly towards a resolution of this conflict.”
Remarks made on May 6 by Mr Smotrich, who declared that Gaza would be “totally destroyed”, have caused particular alarm among members of the diaspora.
“It was like a ticking time bomb. Now, many believe the situation has become untenable,” Mr Knobel said. He added that the diaspora is also following, with a mixture of perplexity and concern, the growing opposition to the war within Israeli society itself.
French Jews fear being systematically identified with Israel and many find it difficult to be constantly called upon to express their views on the policies of the Israeli government. “We live 3,500km from Israel. We are, above all, French, and our children are not fighting there,” Mr Knobel said.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
The Kites
Romain Gary
Penguin Modern Classics
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on animal trafficking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Read more about the coronavirus
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Race card
6.30pm: Emirates Holidays Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (Dirt), 1,900m
7.05pm: Arabian Adventures Maiden (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
7.40pm: Emirates Skywards Handicap (TB), Dh82,500 (D), 1,200m
8.15pm: Emirates Airline Conditions (TB), Dh120,000 (D), 1,400m
8.50pm: Emirates Sky Cargo (TB), Dh92,500 (D)1,400m
9.15pm: Emirates.com (TB), Dh95,000 (D), 2,000m
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The years Ramadan fell in May
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
'Spies in Disguise'
Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
Stars: Will Smith, Tom Holland, Karen Gillan and Roshida Jones
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
More coverage from the Future Forum
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Naga
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENomad%20Homes%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHelen%20Chen%2C%20Damien%20Drap%2C%20and%20Dan%20Piehler%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20and%20Europe%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2444m%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Acrew%20Capital%2C%2001%20Advisors%2C%20HighSage%20Ventures%2C%20Abstract%20Ventures%2C%20Partech%2C%20Precursor%20Ventures%2C%20Potluck%20Ventures%2C%20Knollwood%20and%20several%20undisclosed%20hedge%20funds%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
LEAGUE CUP QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Stoke City v Tottenham
Brentford v Newcastle United
Arsenal v Manchester City
Everton v Manchester United
All ties are to be played the week commencing December 21.
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
