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Rabat – The Boys Clubhouse, a London-based youth club catering to vulnerable Jewish boys, is currently under investigation by the UK’s Charity Commission for its involvement in forcing young British men to join the Israeli occupation forces.
The Middle East Eye (MEE) revealed that the investigation comes after the club, which is a registered charity, organized an event marking the return of Levi Simon, a British man who recently fought alongside the occupation army and participated in its war crimes in Gaza.
Located in the municipality of Henden, the Boys Clubhouse runs a project in Jerusalem called the Cave Club, which provides guidance and support for British nationals joining the Israeli occupation forces’ Lone Soldiers program. Some individuals assisted by the Cave Club seem to have been referred there from the Boys Clubhouse, according to the MEE.
The Cave Club’s website states, “boys who have progressed from the UK program and wish to come to Israel to find their path here, have a center that helps them on their new journey.”
It highlights that many of the young men it assists have faced social, educational, and emotional difficulties or struggled with mental health issues due to abuse, trauma, or broken homes.
The Boys Clubhouse describes itself as a “secure and safe haven for Jewish teenagers in crisis” and a “place of last resort for adolescents who have become estranged from family and society.”
Ari Leaman, the founder and chief executive, was awarded an Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to young people and the community in Hendon.
According to the Boys Clubhouse, the Cave Club has links to the Israeli occupation forces, schools, and universities, and offers participants “a range of opportunities not available in the UK.”
It provides the Garin Machal program, a six-week training course for foreign nationals looking to join the Israeli occupation forces, according to the MEE.
Read also: British Tank Commander Criticized for Celebrating Role in Israel’s Aggression in Gaza
The report added that the club’s website features messages congratulating soldiers who have enlisted or completed their service. In addition, the Cave Club’s staff includes a liaison officer from the occupation military, described as the “go-to guy for army recruits.”
Concerns about the Boys Clubhouse’s activities have intensified after revelations about its support for young British men seeking to join the Israeli occupation army. The Charity Commission is investigating the organization. Other UK charities fundraising for the Israeli army are also under scrutiny.
The Cave Club has been promoted on social media as a distribution point for aid sent from the UK for Israeli occupation forces, with posts suggesting that the aid provides soldiers with a “huge advantage on the frontline,” the MEE report added.
Many have criticized the club for helping vulnerable youths join the Israel occupation forces and participate in their bloody war on innocent civilians in Gaza.
Lawyer and activist Fahad Ansari notably expressed concern about the Boys Clubhouse hosting Levi Simon, who he said had fought for the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza for three months.
“Footage of Levi Simon that he posted himself shows him flying Israeli flags in destroyed schools taunting that Hebrew will be taught here and also of him mockingly rifling through Palestinian women’s underwear,” Ansari said on X, formerly Twitter.
Meanwhile, Tarek Younis, a senior lecturer in psychology at Middlesex University, expressed concern about the recruitment of vulnerable youth, stating, “I’m especially concerned and worried the IDF is recruiting vulnerable youth from our neighborhood,” MEE reported.
Pro-Palestinian legal campaigners in the UK have filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Police’s war crimes unit, calling for an investigation into British nationals serving in the Israeli military.
