Betar - Tagar UK

Betar UK existed in the late 1930s but had ceased functioning when the state of Israel was established. The movement's revitalization began in 1974 with Eli Joseph with the assistance of Eric Graus and George Evnine. Yisrael Medad of the World Betar Movement arrived in the UK in 1975 and built a winter camp at Sherborne School in Dorset, England, a summer camp in north-west France, and a two-week summer camp in Israel. Branches were opened in various locations in Greater London and elsewhere. Educational and cultural activities were organized and demonstrations were held on the themes of Soviet Jewry and Jews in Arab lands as well as on local British issues. Betar shared offices with the Herut Movement at 71, Compayne Gardens, London, at the "Tel Chai House". When that property was sold, Betar held its meetings at various locations in Stamford Hill and other Greater London areas.

Betar lost its registered charity status in 2004 when the Charity Commission for England and Wales stated that Betar "appeared to be in furtherance of a political purpose rather than a charitable purpose".

According to the BBC:

In January this year, the Charity Commission began investigating Betar following complaints from the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu). Betar, a Zionist youth organisation associated with right-wing Israeli politics distributed an email which asked subscribers to lobby the BBC over the suspension of television presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk. Mr Kilroy-Silk had described Arabs as "suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors" in a British newspaper article. Betar's email republished Mr Kilroy-Silk's Sunday Express column and described it as "excellent", claiming the presenter had been fired "because his article spoke the truth".

People

Shimon Shamila |

See Also

• Jewish Defense Organization (US)
• Jewish Defence League (UK)
• Ligue de Défense Juive (LDJ) - French version of the JDL
• Tagar/Betar
• Meir Kahane
• Kach
• Betar UK