Plans for a Board of Deputies conference on Israel, chaired by former Labour MP Dame Louise Ellman, have been rejected by vice-president Sheila Gewolb after a meeting of the organisation's international division.

The JC understands that Board President Marie van der Zyl backed the idea of a conference to gauge deputies' opinions on Israel following the plans for a survey on the "divisive" issue were ditched.

But after a meeting of the Board's International Division - which includes a number of individuals in favour of the survey - a near unanimous vote rejected the alternative idea of staging a conference.

When asked why there had been such strong opposition to the conference idea in the Division, one long-serving Deputy told the JC that the decision had been influenced by  "the survey."

The debate around the Board and its response to issues on Israel is likely to resurface at Sunday's plenary meeting in central London, with the issue likely to be raised from the floor.

Mrs van der Zyl has previously said she opposed the survey because “British Jews are overwhelmingly a proudly Zionist community.

"There is a high degree of consensus around the centrality of Israel to Jewish identity and concern for the welfare of its citizens."

She is also convinced that the Board should continue concentrating on holding Labour to account over antisemitism and other domestic issues.

In a statement, Yachad, the left-wing orgainsation who have some support from deputies on the International Division, said: "A representative body, such as the BoD, should embrace an opportunity to find out what our community actually thinks, not fear it."

The JC has contacted Ms Gewolb for comment.

It is understood that the Board’s Vice President felt she had presented the idea of the Israel conference positively to the Division.

But concerns were raised that it had the same risks but none of the benefits of the survey.

Another source though insisted there was “unanimous” opposition to the idea at the meeting.