An umbrella organisation has been formed to support the grassroots Jewish groups set up in the wake of the Gaza conflict.

Nili14 will provide a “leadership and resource centre of excellence” for all the groups in the UK and Ireland.

Media and communications officer Ed Moss said: “While the increase in activity from grassroots groups has resulted in positive support from senior members of government, it has also resulted in organisations overlapping one another.

“For this reason during July and August this year a group of national activists quietly laid the foundations for the formation of a new leading edge, national, pro-Israel, umbrella organisation.

He said: “Nili14 intends to act solely as a resource centre and will not take over from the work of existing grassroots groups.”

The group aimed to help Jewish activists respond quickly to anti-Israel publicity and protests.

Organisers said the group had been welcomed by the Board of Deputies and Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, who both had “responded positively” to the announcement.