A group within the Board of Deputies is planning to launch a caucus to hold its leadership to account over Israel and antisemitism.

It says that anyone speaking on the Board’s behalf should not criticise Israel in public and that all forms of boycott of Israel should be regarded as “unequivocally antisemitic”.

One of its instigators, Jonathan Neumann, who represents Shomrei Hadath Federation Synagogue at the Board, said that “it is time that deputies be made to stand for something so that constituents know whom and what they are voting for. Hopefully this will encourage more constituents to get involved in the process of electing their deputies and holding them to account”.

The caucus also advocates that the Board should not take a position on “internal Israeli matters” or involve itself in matters that “do not directly impact the Jewish community or Israel” and that it should show zero tolerance towards antisemitism.

Mr Neumann, who is director of Jewish Human Rights Watch, added that “although the Board has a fairly strong record of abiding by these principles, especially recently, nevertheless historically there are times when it falls short.

“The caucus intends to support the executive when it stands by these principles and call it out if it does not. We believe these principles are consensual and uncontroversial within Anglo-Jewry, so all deputies ought to be signing up to them.”

Caucus members have been asked to vote together on motions and on the election of candidates for office.

Mr Neumann said that “with around 10 per cent of all deputies with us already before we've even launched, we think this is a promising endeavour”.

A spokesman for the Board commented, “The democratic nature of the Board of Deputies is one of our greatest strengths. A wide range of backgrounds, views and political opinions are represented, but we are confident in our ability to reflect the consensus of the community on all of our issues.”