UK Lawmakers Vote to Designate Palestine Action as Terrorist Group
(MENAFN) British lawmakers voted on Wednesday to classify the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, following a contentious debate.
The motion, which seeks to amend the Terrorism Act 2000 and ban three organizations—including Palestine Action—was formally introduced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier this week. The measure passed in the House of Commons with overwhelming support, securing 385 votes in favor to 26 against.
In addition to Palestine Action, the ban extends to two neo-Nazi groups: the Maniacs Murder Cult (MMC) and the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM).
On Tuesday, the government confirmed that these three groups were set to be proscribed after receiving recommendations from cross-government experts.
During Wednesday’s debate, Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis explained the government’s position: “By implementing this measure, we will remove Palestine Action’s veil of legitimacy, tackle its financial support and degrade its efforts to recruit and radicalize people into committing terrorist activity in its name.”
The vote followed plans outlined by Yvette Cooper, who had earlier presented the draft order in parliament to impose the ban on the organizations.
The decision to target Palestine Action stems from an incident on June 20, when activists from the group infiltrated the Royal Air Force’s Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire, vandalizing two aircraft in protest against the UK’s support for Israel and its military actions in the Gaza Strip.
The government's move has sparked widespread criticism, with numerous politicians and human rights organizations raising alarms over the potential implications for free expression. Recently, over 400 cultural figures signed a petition urging the UK government to reconsider the ban, calling on officials to "stop arming Israel."
In parallel, UN human rights experts weighed in on Tuesday, urging the government to abandon its plan, warning that designating Palestine Action as a terrorist organization would contravene international human rights standards and inhibit legitimate political opposition.
After the vote, a Palestine Action spokesperson fired back, stating: "We are confident that this unlawful order will be overturned. As United Nations experts have made clear, spraying red paint and disrupting the British-based operations of Israel’s largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems, is not terrorism."
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