Charity Commission opens 'regulatory case' on JNF UK - The Jewish Chronicle

The Charity Commission has opened a regulatory case on JNF UK following the reaction to claims by its chairman Samuel Hayek that Muslim immigration threatens the future of British Jewry.

The watchdog said on Thursday it would be assessing concerns raised with it and had requested information from the charity.

“Once received, the commission will consider whether any regulatory action is required. We cannot comment further whilst our case is ongoing," the commission stated.

The charity came under further pressure on Wednesday evening after resolutions to censure it and calling on it to surrender its membership of the Board of Deputies until Mr Hayek leaves cleared their first hurdle at the Board.

The Board’s community and education division voted overwhelmingly to refer both motions for discussion at the full Board plenary later this month.

Meanwhile, the JNF’s deputy, Gary Mond, who is senior vice-president of the Board, faces an investigation by the Board over alleged Islamophobic activity on social media.

JNF UK has previously said it “does not take a stance on British domestic policies and in expressing his recent views Mr Hayek did not speak for the charity or its trustees”.

It added that trustees would not be commenting further while the Charity Commission was considering a complaint against it.

But one of the motions put before the Board criticises the charity for “failing to disavow the inflammatory and bigoted remarks of its chair Samuel Hayek”.

Earlier on Wednesday the Board said it had asked Mr Mond - who is treasurer of JNF- to “step down” from his duties as vice-president pending an investigation into the historic social media posts revealed by the Jewish News.

He is alleged to have liked two tweets by Pamela Geller - co-founder of the Stop the Islamization of America group - who has been banned from entry to the UK.

He is also reported to have tweeted that civilisation was “at war” with Islam, commenting that “Just as Islam has lost before in history, it will lose again”.

Mr Mond has not commented on the allegations against him, though he has earlier distanced himself from Mr Hayek’s remarks.

The Board said yesterday that Mr Mond “did not agree to voluntarily step down and has informed us he is currently taking legal advice”.

The Board’s trustees are due to meet on Thursday evening to consider the next step.

A Board spokesman said, “Given Mr Mond’s refusal to step down from his duties when asked, a trustee meeting has been called to discuss his suspension from the Board’s charitable activities with immediate effect.”

Calls for JNF UK chairman to quit over 'Islamophobic comments'