UK decides pro-Palestinian group under the anti-terrorist law

UK decides pro-Palestinian group under the anti-terrorist law

The MPs of the British Parliament voted on Wednesday with 382 to 26 votes for a ban on the Palestine Action organization, a British group that aims to disturb the activities of arms manufacturers that the Israeli government supply.

background of the ban

The vote fell after an incident in which two activists from Palestine Action penetrated into the largest air force base in Great Britain in central England and two military aircraft damaged. The planned ban will be presented to the House of Lords on Thursday. If it is approved by the upper chamber, the ban would come into force in the following days.

consequences of the ban

A complete ban would mean that it would be illegal under British law to be a member of Palestine Action or to support the group. The organization would then be legally placed on a level with terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Al-Qaida and ISIS. This has already led to sharp criticism of UN experts, human rights groups and politicians.

criticism of the government

The British Interior Minister Yvette Cooper confirmed on June 23rd the government's intention to prohibit the group after activists sprayed red colored agents in the turbines of two Airbus Voyagers. This video showed the activists in their commitment, which they targeted due to the suspected military transport function of the aircraft and their use to refuel Israeli, American and British military aircraft. A source of the Ministry of Defense said that RAF Voyagers did not carry out any operations for the Israeli forces.

Legal steps from Palestine Action

On Monday, Palestine Action announced that it would take legal action against the government's decision. The co -founder of the group, Huda Ammori, expressed that the government's hard reaction "resembles many authoritarian regime worldwide, use terrorist control as an excuse to suppress different opinions".

potential punishments and social effects

If the ban comes into force, it would be the first time in British history that a protest group that specializes in direct actions is prohibited due to anti-terrorist laws. People who oppose the ban could expect up to 14 years in prison. Even wearing clothing that "a reasoned suspicion" arouses that one is a member or supporter of the group could be punished with up to six months in prison or a fine.

criticism of human rights organizations

Human rights organizations have sharply criticized the government's measures and described them as the latest step in a number of draconian measures against legitimate protest in the country. Sacha Desmukh, the managing director of Amnesty International UK, warned on June 23 that the prohibition of Palestine Action could lead to a "illegal intervention" in the fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. Deshmukh made it clear: "The ban on Palestine Action will mean that millions of people in the United Kingdom have to accept restrictions on their freedom of expression this weekend."

international reactions

also experts from the United Nations expressed their discomfort on the "unfounded classification of a political protest movement as' terrorist" on Tuesday. Several declarations of support for the group were published, including by Labor MP Zarah Sultana and the former Labor shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who considered the government's plans as not in the interests of anti-terrorist laws.

In a statement, Palestine Action described the government's reaction to the campaign on the military base as "crazy". The group said: "The actual crime is not the spraying of red color on these war aircraft, but the war crimes, which are made possible by the use of these aircraft - because of the complicity of the British government on the genocide in Israel."

This story continues to develop and is updated.