UK charity funding school at heart of illegal Israeli settlement expansion

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A British charity is allocating significant funding to a religious school influencing illegal Israeli settlement growth in the Palestinian city of Hebron. Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron contributed nearly £200,000 between 2019 and 2024, according to the Charity Commission records. The project, approved in June, aims to expand student accommodations amid ongoing territorial disputes. Palestinian activists and human rights groups warn the development could escalate violence and deepen divisions in this conflict-ridden area. Israeli officials cite security concerns, while the British government has acknowledged its recognition of Palestine’s sovereignty. Local residents and advocates stress the need for funding focused on peacebuilding rather than settlement infractions. International scrutiny remains high as the expansion stretches to one of Hebron’s most precarious and factionalized neighborhoods.

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