A fundraiser backed by a ‘collective’ of young British Jews has raised over £6,500 for three Israeli organisations that are campaigning against the Israeli government’s proposed annexation of portions of the West Bank.
The ‘Joint Fund Against Annexation’, which was created on June 10, had raised £6,500 from 316 individual donations as of Monday.
Money raised will be distributed via the New Israel Fund, an NGO that supports civil society and human rights organisations in Israel and the West Bank, to Peace Now, Standing Together and Zazim.
All three organisations are mobilising against any proposed annexations in the West Bank.
#NoToAnnexation, which is running the fundraiser, is a collective of some 60 young British Jews from across the denominational spectrum that formed in April.
The group said that it was campaigning to “raise awareness of the implications of annexation in the Jewish community, particularly among young people, and raises funds for Israeli organisations opposing annexation.”
An Instagram account that seeks to explain issues concerning the annexation has also been created.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had claimed that he would begin the process of annexing tranches of the West Bank on July 1, as a first step towards fulfilling proposals made in January as part of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.
“Whilst Netanyahu’s 1st July deadline has now come and gone without annexation”, a statement said, “#NoToAnnexation have made clear their campaign is not over.
“Even without annexation the status quo is not acceptable”, the group said, adding: “We must oppose any future annexation plans and continue to fight the occupation.”