| European Leadership Network | |
| Purpose: | To "strengthen relations between Europe and Israel, based on shared democratic values and strategic interests" |
| Founded: | .[1] |
The European Leadership Network (ELNET), is a non-governmental organization that promotes links between Europe and Israel.[2] [3] [4]
ELNET was created in 2007 as a European pro-Israel advocacy group to assist European partners in becoming more active politically in countering criticism of Israel in Europe.[5] ELNET described itself as “the most influential pro-Israel advocacy organisation in Europe".[6]
ELNET is registered in Belgium (responsible for the EU & NATO), France, Germany, Poland, the UK, Italy and Israel. The organization includes an additional US-based entity, Friends of ELNET (FELNET), that fundraises for the network.[7] [8]
ELNET arranges visits by European parliament members, government officials, and other European policy leaders to Israel.[9] ELNET's role has been defined as "encouraging Jewish political activism".[10]
In 2024, Declassified UK wrote that pro-Israel lobbyists, including ELNET, had donated to 13 out of Labour’s 25 cabinet members "since they were first elected to the parlement", founding the likes of prime minister Keir Starmer, foreign secretary David Lammy and Jonathan Reynolds, the latter is the one who "oversees arms exports to Israel as UK trade secretary". ELNET had organized a visit in Israel for Labour Friends of Israel (LFI)'s MPs including member of Starmer’s cabinet and health secretary Wes Streeting.[11] The visit organised by ELNET for Labour staffers "had ‘clear agenda’ to shape policies of next government".