British Prime Minister David Cameron announced he is resigning from the board of trustees and as an "honorary patron" of the British branch of JNF-KKL, submitting to pressure from pro-Palestinian organizations waging a boycott campaign against the JNF.
An organization called Stop the JNF took pride in its success in "persuading Cameron to resign from the Fund, which funds the settlement of Arab villages abandoned since 1948 and participates in the expulsion of Palestinians from their land."
Cameron's letter reached JNF executives beforehand, but they kept the matter quiet to avoid a scandal. The spokesman at 10 Downing Street noticed the move had gone unannounced and summoned reporters to update them on the resignation, but did not reveal the Prime Minister's reasons.
"The Prime Minister stepped down from a number of funds — including the JNF," said the spokesman. The Times of London carried the story on the front page as another sign of cooling relations with Israel.
Besides the political ramifications, it seems Cameron is no big loss for the JNF. His two predecessors, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown of the Labour Party, both sat on the board. In today's anti-Israel atmosphere in the UK government and the street, following his resignation no British ministers remain on the board.
Even a Jewish Labourite, Ed Milliband, was reluctant to give his support to the organization, not to mention Nick Clegg, head of the Liberal Democrats, an anti-Zionist party in the coalition.
