NatWest Shuts Down Holocaust Charity Accounts

Yad Vashem UK, an education charity dedicated to Holocaust remembrance, has been informed by NatWest bank that it will cease all banking relations with the organization within four months. This decision follows a recent review by the bank, which has not provided further details regarding the rationale behind the closure. The move comes in the wake of a previous scandal involving NatWest, where the abrupt closure of Nigel Farage's account at Coutts led to significant public backlash and the resignation of the bank's then-CEO, Dame Alison Rose. In a statement, NatWest acknowledged the situation, describing it as an "administrative error" and confirming that they would continue to bank Yad Vashem UK. However, the charity's UK chairman, Simon Bentley, expressed concern that the bank's actions could jeopardize Holocaust education at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise. Yad Vashem UK operates as the British branch of the Jerusalem-based Holocaust remembrance center and is committed to educating the public about the Holocaust. The controversy has prompted Bentley to submit a subject access request to NatWest, seeking clarity on the decision. Meanwhile, representatives from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and Campaign Against Antisemitism have called for transparency from NatWest, urging the bank to explain its abrupt decision to close the account, especially given the current climate of increasing anti-Semitism and pressure on financial institutions regarding their associations with Jewish organizations.