Just months after a controversial Israeli community centre in Sri Lanka was identified as the potential target of a “terrorist” attack, the Sri Lankan government has revealed that four Israeli religious centres are currently operating in the country, with two of them unregistered.
Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi disclosed in Parliament today that Israeli religious centres in Potuvil and Thimbirigasyaya, Colombo, have not been registered as religious institutions. He further revealed that centres located in Weligama and Ella were registered under the Companies Act, rather than as religious entities.
The revelation follows growing public scrutiny and parliamentary debate over the presence and activities of Israeli centres in Sri Lanka, particularly in the wake of last year’s heightened tensions in the southeast region of Arugam Bay, a destination popular with Israeli tourists.
Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) criticised the government for failing to act decisively, noting that security forces including the Special Task Force (STF) and police continued to provide protection to unauthorised Israeli establishments in Dehiwala and Colombo 7. He reminded Parliament that questions were raised about these facilities as far back as December last year.
Responding to Rahman, Minister Senevi stated that STF protection for the Israeli centre located on Chittampalam Gardiner Mawatha in Colombo 7 had since been withdrawn.
The government’s disclosures come amid frustration over what many view as the unchecked expansion of Israeli religious and commercial operations, particularly in Muslim-majority areas. Arugam Bay, in the Eastern Province, has become a focal point of this discontent. The area, known internationally for its surf scene, saw over 25,000 Israeli tourists in 2024 alone.
Tensions escalated last year when both US and Israeli authorities issued warnings about potential “terrorist threats” in Arugam Bay and surrounding areas. These warnings followed altercations between Israeli tourists and local residents, and mounting criticism of the influx of Israelis, many of whom, locals claim, arrive in Sri Lanka shortly after serving in the Israeli military during the ongoing assault on Gaza.
