Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael - Jewish National Fund
The Jewish National Fund (JNF) is a non-profit organisation founded in 1901. "Over the past 107 years", it claims to have "evolved into a global environmental leader by planting 240 million trees, building over 200 reservoirs and dams, developing over 250,000 acres of land, creating more than 1,000 parks, providing the infrastructure for over 1,000 communities, bringing life to the Negev Desert and educating students around the word about Israel and the environment." [1]
It has been described by the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe as "a colonialist agency of ethnic cleansing" [2]
Contents
Affiliations
People
- Ambassador Ronald S Lauder - Former President of the Jewish National Fund is now (in 2008) President of the World Jewish Congress. Lauder is also Chairman of the International Public Committee of the World Jewish Restitution Organization and Chairman of the Jewish Heritage Council. He was formerly Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Served as U.S. Ambassador to Austria and as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy. He is also described as an international businessman. [3]
In 2008, Lauder is listed as a supported of the Herzliya Conference in Israel. [4]
Executive Board
- Samuel Hayek - Chairman
- Dr Dr Michael Sinclair - Vice Chairman
- Dr Michael Sinclair - Honorary Treasurer
- David Goodman - Chief Executive
- Harvey Bratt - Company Secretary
- Dr Simon Cats
- Baroness Ruth Deech
- Elan Gorji
- Gerald Greene
- Murray Lee
- Gary Mond
- Benjamin Perl MBE
- Margaret Rothem
- Mandi Waisman
Patrons
- Hilary Dennis
- Cyril Dennis MBE
- Jose Dent
- David Dent
- Zak Gertler
- David Lewis
- Felix Posen
- Lynne Ross
- Nigel Ross
- Leslie Silver OBE
- Sammy Soffair
- Simon Sterling
- Sol Zakay
Honorary Patrons
- Professor David Bellamy OBE
- Rt Hon Tony Blair
- Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP
- Professor David Bellamy OBE
- Rt Hon Lady Hazel Cosgrove CBE
- Anthony Krais JP
- Rabbi Dr Abraham Levy OBE
- Benjamin Netanyahu
- HE The Ambassador of Israel Ron Prosor
- Shimon Peres
- Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
- Rev Malcolm Weisman OBE, CBE
- General Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie
- Baron Michael Howard of Lympne
Current UK Prime Minister David Cameron stepped down as Honorary Patron of the JNF, May 2011. A press release explained the resignation was part of a wider review of charities and organisations the PM is associated with, claiming the JNF is one of a number of charities he stepped down from.[5] Traditionally the three leaders of the main UK parties have become Honorary Patrons, however none of the three leaders currently hold this position. Pro-Palestinian solidarity groups, claim the resignation was because of growing pressure for Cameron to step down.[6][7] Previous UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown remain Honorary Patrons.[8]
Related Articles
- A Report by Palestine Land Society, Jewish National Fund's Violation of International and Domestic Law, August 2005
- Uri Avnery, Dunam After Dunam, ZNet, 7 February, 2005. (Accessed 27 March, 2009)
- Maureen Meehan, The Jewish National Fund and World Zionist Organization: The Hidden Faces of Israeli Racism, Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, July/August 1999, pages 14, 20.
- 'Challenging the discriminatory land policies of the Jewish National Fund', Adalah website
Notes
- ↑ 'About JNF', JNF website, accessed 27 March, 2009.
- ↑ ILAN PAPPE and JUSTIN PODUR ZNet, 20 February 2005 Mechanisms of denial Last accessed 16 June, 2007.
- ↑ The Annual Herzliya Conference Series: on the Balance of Israel's National Security (2008), Conference Conclusions, accessed 12 August, 2008.
- ↑ The Annual Herzliya Conference Series: on the Balance of Israel's National Security (20Harvey Bratt08) Conference Conclusions, accessed 12 August, 2008.
- ↑ Harriet Sherwood, David Cameron resigns as patron of the Jewish National Fund, The Guardian 29 May 2011, accessed 23 June 2011
- ↑ Stop the JNF Campaign website, 'Cameron drops Israel 'racist' charity', Press Release 27 May 2011, accessed 23 June 2011
- ↑ BDS Website, 'British Prime Minister ends ties with JNF', Press Release 27 May 2011, accessed 23 June 2011
- ↑ Jewish National Fund website, About Us, Executive Board accessed 23 June 2011
