Scandal in Britain - taxpayers' money went to therapy for Israeli soldiers

British taxpayers subsidized “healing therapy” for IDF soldiers after their service in Gaza, a Declassified investigation reveals.

British taxpayers have funded "healing therapy" for Israeli soldiers fighting in Gaza, Declassified reveals.

An Israeli organization has received an undisclosed amount through a British charity, while the British government has added 25 percent through the Gift Aid scheme.

Emails obtained by Declassified show that the Yahalom Foundation, an Israeli veterans' organization, asks British supporters to channel donations through its "UK-registered partner platform."

"Processing your donation through them ensures you receive full tax recognition and activates Gift Aid, maximizing the impact of your contribution," the email states.

"100 percent of your gift goes directly to Yahalom to support our core mission," the Telegraph reports.

The Yahalom Foundation directs British donors to a list of fundraising projects in support of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) veterans and claims that donations may benefit from tax subsidies.

The list includes £5,000 funding for a “therapeutic healing journey” for soldiers returning from Gaza, as well as “individual psychological treatments”.

The foundation is also raising £100,000 for a memorial hall in honour of slain Israeli soldiers.

Other data from two years ago shows that British donations were used to fund equipment for serving Israeli soldiers, although it is not clear whether Gift Aid was added to these donations.

Treatment for PTSD

In response to the investigation, UK Toremet confirmed that it had given money to the Yahalom Foundation for “providing PTSD treatment to the association’s beneficiaries.”

UK Toremet stated that monitoring of the grant had confirmed that the funds were used exclusively for the intended purpose and argued that providing mental health treatment to an individual constitutes social and medical assistance and is a charitable act under English law.

However, UK Toremet denied describing itself as a “partner platform” of the Yahalom Foundation, saying that this description “is not accurate.” The organization said it would contact the Yahalom Foundation regarding this wording.

Meanwhile, UK Toremet's claims contradict those of the Yahalom Foundation, which says that "100 percent" of donations are sent directly to Yahalom to support its core mission.

Britain's Charity Commission announced a week ago that it had launched an investigation into eight British charities operating in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The regulator said it would examine whether the funds were being used in accordance with charitable purposes.

Meanwhile, HMRC, the body responsible for Gift Aid, declined to comment, saying confidentiality rules do not allow it to discuss the tax affairs of charities. The Yahalom Foundation did not respond to Declassified's request for comment. /Telegraph/