River Island: Why boycott?

River Island is owned by the Lewis family, via the Lewis Trust Group. The family owns a string of other businesses, as well as operating two charitable trusts which give significant sums to the Zionist project, including to 1. the Zionist occupation forces - the so called 'Israel Defence Forces'; 2. Illegal settlements; 3. Zionist fundraising and lobby groups; 4. Islamophobic think tanks;. The family also have economic interests in Israel.

The River Island retail chain, was founded by Bernard Lewis. He built the business with his elder brother David Lewis. When he died David was referred to as a 'pioneering champion of Zionism' by the Daily Express. The family is headed today by Simon Lewis.

Philanthropy

The family runs two charitable trusts which regularly donate to Zionist causes. These are Bernard Lewis Family Charitable Trust and David and Ruth Lewis Family Charitable Trust. The charities have given to the following:

Funding the occupation forces

UK Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers (£5,000) | | British ORT (£6,000)

Funding illegal settlements

Friends of Yad Sarah UK (£13,911) | Jewish National Fund (135,000) | Jerusalem Foundation (£632,131) | Aish Ha Torah UK Limited (£102,000)

Funding Zionist lobby groups

Alliance for Middle East Peace (£50,000) | Anglo-Israel Association (£31,950) | Campaign Against Antisemitism (£439,367) | Community Security Trust (£242,400) | Council of Christians and Jews (£18,000) | Friends of the Yitzhak Rabin Center for Israel Studies (£13,313) | Israel Centre for Social & Economic Progress (£173,303) | Jewish Leadership Council |(107,500) | One Voice Europe (£313,900) | Palestinian Media Watch (£30,000) | Reform Judaism (£125,000) | Shalom Foundation of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland/Zionist Federation (18,125) | Solutions Not Sides (130,000) | The Coexistence Trust (£13,000) | Union of Jewish Students (£25,000) | United Jewish Israel Appeal | WIZO UK (£31,000)

Funding Islamophobic think tanks

Policy Exchange

Political donations in the UK

The Lewis Trust Group and family members have donated significantly to the Conservative Party.

Other business interests

• Founders of the iconic 60s retailer Chelsea Girl and later River Island diversified their portfolio of businesses to include real estate, private equity, hotels & leisure and other consumer driven businesses. These include Blue Coast Capital

Interests in 'Israel'

The Lewis family, also own the Isrotel hotel chain in Israel via LFH International the parent company of the Lewis Trust Group.

Resources

• Boycott Lewis Trust]