UK wants to prohibit pro-Palestinian group

(MENAFN) The UK government plans to seek parliamentary approval to designate the pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization. This decision follows an incident where members of the group broke into a military air base and sprayed paint on a warplane’s engine. UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced on Monday that she will formally submit the ban proposal next week, condemning the attack on Brize Norton base as part of a pattern of criminal damage by the group. If approved, membership in or support for Palestine Action would become illegal.

Palestine Action, established in 2020, aims to disrupt British military aid to Israel and has targeted factories linked to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Its direct-action methods have attracted sympathy amid Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza.

Cooper accused the group of threatening national security by interfering with arms supplies destined for Ukraine, NATO allies, and other partners. She also claimed the group's activities affect innocent civilians caught in conflict zones.

However, Kellys Solicitors, representing Palestine Action, condemned the proposed ban as unprecedented and compared it to labeling the group alongside terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS. They described the government’s move as reckless, unlawful, and an attack on freedom of expression and assembly. The legal firm argued the group’s actions target property rather than individuals and only occasionally cause damage. Their statement emphasized that the true crime lies in the war crimes enabled by those warplanes, which the UK government supports through its involvement with Israel.

The Guardian editorial also criticized the proposal, warning it lowers the definition of terrorism from serious acts like bomb plots or hostage-taking to protests such as painting aircraft or chaining to doors.

Several politicians have spoken out against the ban. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described it as a desperate attempt by the government to avoid accountability for its backing of Israel. Independent MP Shockat Adam called the move both absurd and authoritarian.

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