The British branch of Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum, faced the closure of its NatWest bank account due to an “administrative error”, a bank spokesman told the newspaper. Daily Mail.
“We apologise to the customer as this was the result of an administrative error and we will continue to work with Yad Vashem in the UK. We are taking the necessary steps to ensure this type of situation does not happen again and we are very sorry for the inconvenience caused,” a NatWest spokesperson said.
The previous week, the bank sparked controversy in the UK after announcing it was ending all ties with Yad Vashem following a “final review” in July.
At that time, the museum was notified that it would have less than four months to transfer its funds to another bank before its account would be permanently closed.
The head of Yad Vashem in the UK, Simon Bentley, described the situation as “surprising,” and speaking to Daily Mail“Yad Vashem is a non-political charity that promotes Holocaust education and addresses unprecedented levels of antisemitism in the UK and around the world,” he said.
We have been a NatWest exemplary customer for many years, always maintaining a positive balance and large deposits. “I cannot understand why NatWest would put Holocaust education at risk in this way.”
The account closure sparked outrage among various Jewish organizations in the United Kingdom, who demanded a clear explanation and an apology from the bank.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Against a backdrop of rising antisemitism and pressure on financial institutions to distance themselves from Jewish groups and the State of Israel, NatWest owes an explanation to both Yad Vashem and the Jewish community.”
Finally, faced with a wave of criticism, NatWest decided to reverse its decision and publicly apologized to Yad Vashem.
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