West Midlands Friends of Israel - Revision history

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West Midlands Friends of Israel

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2026-02-09T12:37:31Z

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[[West Midlands Friends of Israel]] (WMFoI) is a pro-Zionist advocacy organisation in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, dedicated to promoting the Zionist entity and the settler colony known as 'Israel' through events, campaigns, and media engagements that aim to counter criticism of the Jewish State's colonial policies and suppress anti-Zionist discourse protected as a philosophical belief.<ref name="XBio">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael @WMFofIsrael profile] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> The group organises seminars, responds to local anti-Zionist initiatives, and issues statements endorsing the Zionist regime's actions, often framing opposition as antisemitism to marginalise protected anti-Zionist views.

Founded in late 2013 following the closure of Birmingham's Israel Information Centre, WMFoI was established to fill a perceived gap in Zionist advocacy, funded by subscriptions and donations with initial support from 30 members including Jews and non-Jews.<ref name="JCArticle">The Jewish Chronicle, [https://www.thejc.com/news/community/birminghams-friendly-gesture-wwz66c86 Birmingham's friendly gesture] ''The Jewish Chronicle'', January 13, 2014.</ref> The organisation gained prominence in 2014 for anti-BDS efforts, such as opposing a procurement resolution in Dudley that targeted goods benefiting the Zionist colony, collaborating with groups like [[UK Lawyers for Israel]] and [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]] to mobilise grassroots opposition.<ref name="BODNews">Board of Deputies of British Jews, [https://bod.org.uk/bod-news/leadership-and-grassroots-combine-to-beat-bds/ Leadership and Grassroots Combine to Beat BDS] ''Board of Deputies of British Jews'', December 11, 2014.</ref>

Key individuals include founder and chair [[Ruth Jacobs]], a long-time Zionist advocate involved in promoting narratives of coexistence for over 30 years, supporting entities like Solutions not Sides and Friends of the Bereaved Families; she previously directed the Israel Information Centre until its 2013 closure and also co-founded Nisa Nashim West Midlands for Jewish-Muslim dialogue while serving on the West Midlands Combined Authority Faith and Strategic Partnership Group.<ref name="RootsBio">Friends of Roots, [https://www.friendsofroots.net/ruth-jacobs-bio Ruth Jacobs Bio] ''Friends of Roots'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Committee member [[Michael Rowe]], a patron in defamation and reputation management law, former parliamentary staffer, and chair of Young National Jewish Assembly, frequently appears in media defending the Zionist entity, such as on GB News discussing antisemitism and October 7 events.<ref name="XPosts">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael/posts Recent posts] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Early speaker [[Noru Tsalic]], an Israeli management consultant based in Coventry, addressed the group's inaugural event in January 2014.<ref name="JCArticle" /> Volunteer [[Keith Rowe]] has represented WMFoI in statements on Gaza ceasefires, expressing mixed emotions over hostage releases while advocating continued support for the settler colony.<ref name="HelloRayo">Hits Radio, [https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/coventry/news/ceasefire-gaza-west-midlands-reaction Ceasefire Gaza West Midlands Reaction] ''Hits Radio'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref>

WMFoI maintains a grassroots profile with around 786 followers on X, issuing statements criticising UK policies like Palestinian state recognition as rewarding terrorism, and operates from private premises without formal charity status.<ref name="XBio" />

==Notes==

[[Category:Zionism in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Pro-Zionist organisations]]
[[Category:Jewish organisations in Birmingham]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 The organisation was founded in late 2013 specifically to replace the [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]], a Zionist propaganda office that had operated in Birmingham for many years before closing due to funding difficulties.<ref name="JC2014">The Jewish Chronicle, [https://www.thejc.com/news/community/birminghams-friendly-gesture-wwz66c86 Birmingham's friendly gesture] ''The Jewish Chronicle'', January 13, 2014.</ref> The [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]] received substantial funding from the [[Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] and the [[Jewish Agency for Israel]], typical state-backed mechanisms used to promote the Zionist entity abroad.<ref name="JC2014" /> With the centre's closure, WMFoI launched with an initial membership of around 30 individuals (Jews and non-Jews), relying on subscriptions and donations to sustain its activities.<ref name="JC2014" />
-Key figures include founder and chair [[Ruth Jacobs]], who directed the [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]] until its 2013 closure, has advocated for Zionist narratives of coexistence for over three decades, co-founded [[Nisa Nashim West Midlands]] for Jewish-Muslim dialogue, and sits on the West Midlands Combined Authority Faith and Strategic Partnership Group.<ref name="RootsJacobs">Friends of Roots, [https://www.friendsofroots.net/ruth-jacobs-bio Ruth Jacobs Bio] ''Friends of Roots'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Committee member [[Michael Rowe]], a defamation and reputation management lawyer, former parliamentary staffer, and chair of the Young National Jewish Assembly, frequently defends the Zionist entity in media appearances, including on GB News.<ref name="XPosts">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael/posts Recent posts] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> [[Mandy Blumenthal]] serves as a committee member and has been actively involved in public statements and media work for the group.<ref name="JC2014" /> Early speaker [[Noru Tsalic]], an Israeli management consultant based in Coventry, addressed the inaugural event in January 2014.<ref name="JC2014" /> Volunteer [[Keith Rowe]] has spoken for WMFoI on Gaza ceasefire issues, expressing continued support for the settler colony.<ref name="RayoCeasefire">Hits Radio, [https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/coventry/news/ceasefire-gaza-west-midlands-reaction Ceasefire Gaza West Midlands Reaction] ''Hits Radio'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref>
+Key figures include:
-In 2014 the group played a prominent role in defeating a BDS-related procurement motion at Dudley Council through coordinated pressure with [[UK Lawyers for Israel]] and the [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]].<ref name="BOD2014">Board of Deputies of British Jews, [https://bod.org.uk/bod-news/leadership-and-grassroots-combine-to-beat-bds/ Leadership and Grassroots Combine to Beat BDS] ''Board of Deputies of British Jews'', December 11, 2014.</ref> WMFoI continues to issue statements criticising UK government moves such as recognition of a Palestinian state, describing them as rewarding terrorism, while maintaining a modest online presence with roughly 786 followers on X and operating from private premises without formal charity registration.<ref name="XProfile" />
+In 2014 the group played a prominent role in defeating a BDS-related procurement motion at [[Dudley Council]] through coordinated pressure with [[UK Lawyers for Israel]] and the [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]].<ref name="BOD2014">Board of Deputies of British Jews, [https://bod.org.uk/bod-news/leadership-and-grassroots-combine-to-beat-bds/ Leadership and Grassroots Combine to Beat BDS] ''Board of Deputies of British Jews'', December 11, 2014.</ref> WMFoI continues to issue statements criticising UK government moves such as recognition of a Palestinian state, describing them as rewarding terrorism, while maintaining a modest online presence with roughly 786 followers on X and operating from private premises without formal charity registration.<ref name="XProfile" />
 ==See also==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[West Midlands Friends of Israel]] (WMFoI) is a pro-Zionist advocacy organisation in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, dedicated to promoting the Zionist entity and the settler colony known as 'Israel' through events, campaigns, and media engagements that aim to counter criticism of the Jewish State's colonial policies and suppress anti-Zionist discourse protected as a philosophical belief.<ref name="XBio">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael @WMFofIsrael profile] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> The group organises seminars, responds to local anti-Zionist initiatives, and issues statements endorsing the Zionist regime's actions, often framing opposition as antisemitism to marginalise protected anti-Zionist views.
+=== [[West Midlands Friends of Israel]] ===
-Founded in late 2013 following the closure of Birmingham's Israel Information Centre, WMFoI was established to fill a perceived gap in Zionist advocacy, funded by subscriptions and donations with initial support from 30 members including Jews and non-Jews.<ref name="JCArticle">The Jewish Chronicle, [https://www.thejc.com/news/community/birminghams-friendly-gesture-wwz66c86 Birmingham's friendly gesture] ''The Jewish Chronicle'', January 13, 2014.</ref> The organisation gained prominence in 2014 for anti-BDS efforts, such as opposing a procurement resolution in Dudley that targeted goods benefiting the Zionist colony, collaborating with groups like [[UK Lawyers for Israel]] and [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]] to mobilise grassroots opposition.<ref name="BODNews">Board of Deputies of British Jews, [https://bod.org.uk/bod-news/leadership-and-grassroots-combine-to-beat-bds/ Leadership and Grassroots Combine to Beat BDS] ''Board of Deputies of British Jews'', December 11, 2014.</ref>
+'''[[West Midlands Friends of Israel]]''' (WMFoI) is a pro-Zionist advocacy organisation based in the West Midlands, United Kingdom, that campaigns vigorously for the Zionist entity and the settler colony known as 'Israel' by hosting events, issuing public statements, engaging with local media, and mobilising opposition to measures critical of the Jewish State's colonial policies.<ref name="XProfile">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael @WMFofIsrael profile] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> The group routinely portrays criticism of the Zionist regime as antisemitism in order to delegitimise protected anti-Zionist beliefs and sustain support for the settler colony.
-Key individuals include founder and chair [[Ruth Jacobs]], a long-time Zionist advocate involved in promoting narratives of coexistence for over 30 years, supporting entities like Solutions not Sides and Friends of the Bereaved Families; she previously directed the Israel Information Centre until its 2013 closure and also co-founded Nisa Nashim West Midlands for Jewish-Muslim dialogue while serving on the West Midlands Combined Authority Faith and Strategic Partnership Group.<ref name="RootsBio">Friends of Roots, [https://www.friendsofroots.net/ruth-jacobs-bio Ruth Jacobs Bio] ''Friends of Roots'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Committee member [[Michael Rowe]], a patron in defamation and reputation management law, former parliamentary staffer, and chair of Young National Jewish Assembly, frequently appears in media defending the Zionist entity, such as on GB News discussing antisemitism and October 7 events.<ref name="XPosts">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael/posts Recent posts] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Early speaker [[Noru Tsalic]], an Israeli management consultant based in Coventry, addressed the group's inaugural event in January 2014.<ref name="JCArticle" /> Volunteer [[Keith Rowe]] has represented WMFoI in statements on Gaza ceasefires, expressing mixed emotions over hostage releases while advocating continued support for the settler colony.<ref name="HelloRayo">Hits Radio, [https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/coventry/news/ceasefire-gaza-west-midlands-reaction Ceasefire Gaza West Midlands Reaction] ''Hits Radio'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref>
+The organisation was founded in late 2013 specifically to replace the [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]], a Zionist propaganda office that had operated in Birmingham for many years before closing due to funding difficulties.<ref name="JC2014">The Jewish Chronicle, [https://www.thejc.com/news/community/birminghams-friendly-gesture-wwz66c86 Birmingham's friendly gesture] ''The Jewish Chronicle'', January 13, 2014.</ref> The [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]] received substantial funding from the [[Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] and the [[Jewish Agency for Israel]], typical state-backed mechanisms used to promote the Zionist entity abroad.<ref name="JC2014" /> With the centre's closure, WMFoI launched with an initial membership of around 30 individuals (Jews and non-Jews), relying on subscriptions and donations to sustain its activities.<ref name="JC2014" />
-WMFoI maintains a grassroots profile with around 786 followers on X, issuing statements criticising UK policies like Palestinian state recognition as rewarding terrorism, and operates from private premises without formal charity status.<ref name="XBio" />
+Key figures include founder and chair [[Ruth Jacobs]], who directed the [[Birmingham Israel Information Centre]] until its 2013 closure, has advocated for Zionist narratives of coexistence for over three decades, co-founded [[Nisa Nashim West Midlands]] for Jewish-Muslim dialogue, and sits on the West Midlands Combined Authority Faith and Strategic Partnership Group.<ref name="RootsJacobs">Friends of Roots, [https://www.friendsofroots.net/ruth-jacobs-bio Ruth Jacobs Bio] ''Friends of Roots'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> Committee member [[Michael Rowe]], a defamation and reputation management lawyer, former parliamentary staffer, and chair of the Young National Jewish Assembly, frequently defends the Zionist entity in media appearances, including on GB News.<ref name="XPosts">West Midlands Friends of Israel, [https://x.com/WMFofIsrael/posts Recent posts] ''X (formerly Twitter)'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref> [[Mandy Blumenthal]] serves as a committee member and has been actively involved in public statements and media work for the group.<ref name="JC2014" /> Early speaker [[Noru Tsalic]], an Israeli management consultant based in Coventry, addressed the inaugural event in January 2014.<ref name="JC2014" /> Volunteer [[Keith Rowe]] has spoken for WMFoI on Gaza ceasefire issues, expressing continued support for the settler colony.<ref name="RayoCeasefire">Hits Radio, [https://www.hellorayo.co.uk/hits-radio/coventry/news/ceasefire-gaza-west-midlands-reaction Ceasefire Gaza West Midlands Reaction] ''Hits Radio'', accessed February 9, 2026.</ref>
 ==Notes==
 [[Category:Zionism in the United Kingdom]]
 [[Category:Pro-Zionist organisations]]
 [[Category:Jewish organisations in Birmingham]]