A charity which supports religious pluralism, civic rights and social action projects for both Jews and Arabs in Israel has enjoyed its most successful year.

The New Israel Fund’s UK branch, which was founded in 1992, recorded an income of £2 million for the first time in 2016.

Donations rose by 20 per cent from £1,576,305 in 2015 to £1,973,306 last year while interest and currency changes carried the income total to just over £2 million.

The charity said the £375,000 raised at its awards dinner last autumn was also a record, while attendance at events last year was 30 per cent up on the previous year.

Adam Ognall, NIF UK chief executive, said "our record fundraising amount was matched by growing donor numbers".

2016, he said, had been "a year of dramatic events in Israel, as it was globally, and many of our core issues hit the headlines from the future of East Jerusalem to tackling poverty and housing. Our ability to have a substantive impact on Israel's core concerns is drawing to us increased support from our community"

Clive Sheldon, the organisation's chairman, said it was "really encouraging that the British Jewish community is showing so much support for the work of NIF. There is increasing recognition that a love for Israel does not mean keeping quiet when the principles of democracy and social justice are under threat. For Israel to thrive, all of its citizens must share in its future."