Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre#Fathom journal

After the outbreak of the Second Intifada, British Jews founded the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) to promote a more supportive environment for Israel in the UK, principally through work with the media.{{cite book |last1=Greene |first1=Toby |title=Blair, Labour, and Palestine: Conflicting Views on Middle East Peace After 9/11 |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-1628923995 |page=30}}

In 2005, Ruth Smeeth joined as director of public affairs and campaigns.{{cite news|title=Smeeth exits Sodexho for pro-Israel lobby group|url=http://www.prweek.com/article/505302/smeeth-exits-sodexho-pro-israel-lobby-group|accessdate=3 March 2015|work=PR Week|date=9 September 2005|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405115920/http://www.prweek.com/article/505302/smeeth-exits-sodexho-pro-israel-lobby-group|archivedate=5 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}

In 2009, it was criticized as "one of the most persistent and slickest media operations in the battle for influence over opinion formers".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/04/biscom-israel-lobby-poju-zabludowicz|title=How the pro-Israel lobby in Britain benefits from a generous London tycoon|last=Syal|first=Rajeev|date=4 Jan 2009|accessdate=5 August 2019|newspaper=The Guardian}}

"We Believe in Israel" is BICOM's pro-Israel advocacy organization in the United Kingdom. The current director is Catherine Perez-Shakdam.{{cite news|url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/journalist-who-infiltrated-iranian-regime-is-new-director-of-we-believe-in-israel/|title=Journalist who infiltrated Iranian regime is new director of We Believe In Israel|work=Jewish News|access-date = 26 May 2025|date = 15 July 2024|author=Rosenberg, Michelle }} "We Believe in Israel" provides learning materials{{cite web|url=http://www.theus.org.uk/article/we-believe-israel-essay-2-zionism-and-foundation-state-israel|title=We Believe in Israel Essay 2 - Zionism and the foundation of the State of Israel|work=United Synagogue}} to both the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the United Synagogue.{{cite web|url=http://www.thejlc.org/member-orgs/|title=Constituent Members|work=Jewish Leadership Council|access-date=2015-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702071414/http://www.thejlc.org/member-orgs/|archive-date=2015-07-02|url-status=dead}} It is a member of the Jewish Leadership Council.

In November 2012, BICOM launched Fathom, a quarterly online scholarly journal edited by Professor Alan Johnson and deputy edited by scholar Toby Greene. According to Johnson. the journal would present a wide range of voices and seek to "paint an honest and nuanced portrait of Israel as it is, even if not always flattering."{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Alan |last2=Greene |first2=Toby |author1-link= Alan Johnson (political theorist)|title=Founding Fathom: Why do we need another journal about Israel? |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/founding-fathom-why-do-we-need-another-journal-about-israel/ |accessdate=21 June 2019 |newspaper=Times of Israel |date=7 November 2012}} As of 2014, Fathom had 30,000 readers, mostly in the UK, but also in Europe, the United States, and Israel. As an adjunct to the journal, BICOM ran Fathom seminars for members of the think tank community, academics, and policymakers.{{cite news |title=Introducing BICOM and Fathom: working to provide a more supportive environment for Israel in Britain |url=https://brandeiscenter.com/introducing-bicom-and-fathom-working-to-provide-a-more-supportive-environment-for-israel-in-britain/ |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=Brandeis Center |date=2014}}

Contributors to Fathom include journalists David Landau and Aluf Benn of Haaretz, Dave Rich, scholar David Hirsh, and author Steven Lee Beeber.

Martin Sherman of the Israel Institute for Strategic Studies accused Fathom in 2016 of "stifling debate" by refusing to publish articles by writers who oppose the two-state solution from an Israeli right wing perspective.{{cite news |last1=Sherman |first1=Martin |date=1 April 2016 |title=Stifling debate - BICOM's blatant bias |url=https://m.jpost.com/opinion/into-the-fray-stifling-debate-bicoms-blatant-bias-449890 |newspaper=Jerusalem Post}}

• Israel lobby in the United Kingdom

{{Reflist|40em}}

• [http://www.bicom.org.uk Official website]
• [http://www.fathomjournal.org/ Fathom Journal]
• [http://www.webelieveinisrael.org.uk/ We Believe in Israel]

{{British Jewry}}

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Category:Political organisations based in the United Kingdom

Category:Media analysis organizations and websites

Category:Organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict

Category:2002 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Organizations established in 2002

Category:Zionist organisations in the United Kingdom

Category:Lobbying in the United Kingdom

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