Tories under fire over donation from Israel lobbyist

[IndianaGreen]

Tories under fire over donation from Israel lobbyist

Thursday 26 November 2009
by Paddy McGuffin

The Tory Party is under fire after it emerged that it accepted six-figure donations from a key lobbyist for the Israeli regime with links to the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Latest records on party donations published by the Electoral Commission yesterday showed that the Tories received two donations totalling £100,000 in the last three months from London-based property magnate Poju Zabludowicz.

Mr Zabludowicz is the largest funder and chairman of the British Israel Communication and Research Centre (BICOM), which describes itself as "an independent organisation devoted to creating a more supportive environment for Israel in the UK."

The organisation lobbies on behalf of the Israeli invaders of Palestine, using Mr Zabludowicz to fly journalists to Israel and providing them access to senior governmental figures.

In 2008 the Jerusalem Post listed Mr Zabludowicz as being one of those who "wield the greatest influence on British Jewry."

The billionaire property magnate founded his vast fortune on the success of his father Shlomo's arms company Soltam. On his father's death, he inherited the firm and sold off most of the arms interests, establishing the Tamares Group.

The Tamares Group holds huge property portfolios in Israel and Las Vegas.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/content/view/full/83762