Palestinian rights group wins a legal bid to challenge UK ban
A High Court judge ruled that the government's decision on Palestine Action can be reviewed. The ban puts Palestine Action on par with the likes of al-Qaida and Hamas. It means membership in the group or support for its actions is punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper moved to ban Palestine Action after activists broke into a Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20 to protest British military support for Israel's war with Hamas. The activists sprayed red paint into the engines of two tanker planes and caused further damage with crowbars.
Earlier this month, lawyers for co-founder Huda Ammori asked a judge to allow her to bring the High Court challenge over the ban, describing it as an 'unlawful interference' with her freedom of expression.
On Wednesday, Justice Martin Chamberlain said two of the issues presented were 'reasonably arguable' and that as such the challenge can proceed.
He said an argument can be made that the ban might conflict with rights to free speech, and that Cooper could have sought wider consultation before going ahead with the ban, which was backed by Parliament earlier this month.
'This landmark decision to grant a judicial review which could see the Home Secretary's unlawful decision to ban Palestine Action quashed, demonstrates the significance of this case for freedoms of speech, expression and assembly and rights to natural justice in our country and the rule of law itself,' Ammori said after the ruling.
Police have made scores of arrests at demonstrations supporting the group on recent weekends.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Recognizing a state, and making a point
Opinion Canada will recognize a state that does not exist. A state that may never exist. A state that has yet to meet the internationally accepted attributes of statehood: a permanent population, a defined territory, an effective government, and exercised sovereignty. This is Palestine. Palestine is not yet a reality, but Canada is recognizing another reality. The reality of war, hunger, hardship, and politics. Almost two years after the horrific Hamas massacre of Israelis and others on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel is locked into a grinding war of lethal attrition against Hamas in Gaza. No immediate ceasefire prospects and no clear end game by any of the protagonists except the destruction of the other exists. ABDEL KAREEM HANA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES A Palestinian boy carrying a plastic jerry can of water walks past buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City on July 25. The most volatile neighbourhood in the world has seen more than 50 wars, insurgencies, coups, and rebellions of one sort or another since the end of the Second World War. The pattern is violently familiar and, therefore, depressingly inuring to most of us. Many expected Gaza to follow this same pattern. Israel's right to exist in peace and the monstrous scale of the Hamas terrorism gave it the legal and moral agency to strike back, hard. Retaliation by Israel would be harsh but somehow acceptable. Few shed any tears when key Hamas leaders were hunted down and eliminated. The tears came afterwards. The relentlessly dangerous and difficult task of eradicating a deeply embedded terrorist network in dense urban areas has meant more civilian casualties and visible suffering than much of the international community could stomach. With no end in sight. This is what prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney's momentous decision to recognize the State of Palestine during the next United Nations General Assembly this fall. 'The deepening suffering of civilians leaves no room for delay in co-ordinated international action to support peace, security, and the dignity of all human life', he said in a formal statement this week. There is something else, though. Canada has concluded that the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu will never accept a two-state solution of a fully sovereign Palestine living side by side with Israel. This has been the bedrock foreign policy principle of Canada — and many other countries — for peace in the Middle East. Unwilling to dismiss this principled approach, the Canadian prime minister has decided to dismiss the Israeli prime minster's approach to the principle. 'Regrettably, this approach is no longer tenable', Carney said. 'Prospects for a two-state solution have been steadily and gravely eroded' he went on, listing four reasons, three of which identify Israeli actions, making clear where most of the blame resides. With zero influence over how Israel is prosecuting the war, Canada is joining other countries to influence what happens after the war. In that sense, Canada is remaining consistent with the United States. Not the U.S. of President Donald Trump but the U.S. of former president Joe Biden. One month into the war, in November 2023, the U.S. set out a 'day after the war' declaration for Gaza and Israel. Meant to prevent a wider conflict from erupting, that declaration stated: 'The United States believes key elements should include no forcible displacement of Palestinians from Gaza. Not now. Not after the war. No use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism or other violent attacks. No reoccupation of Gaza after the conflict ends. No attempt to blockade or besiege Gaza. No reduction in the territory of Gaza.' Weekday Evenings Today's must-read stories and a roundup of the day's headlines, delivered every evening. This may yet come to pass, but it appears very far off right now. Politicians though live in the here and now. They see hunger lines in Gaza and become distressed. They read motions to annex the West Bank from the Israeli Knesset or statements by the Israeli prime minister to never agree to a fully fledged Palestinian state and become disturbed. They see no end in sight and are frustrated. All this is leaving Israel more politically isolated today than it was before Oct. 7. But it is also more militarily powerful, capable, and dominant in the region than ever before. And it has a fast friend in Donald Trump creating a superpower 'alliance of two' giving it more licence to act as it sees fit in Gaza and the region. It is doing so, and countries have taken notice. Short of declaring war, recognizing a governing entity, no matter how tenuous, as a sovereign state is as declaratory you can get in international relations. Canada, like France and Great Britain, is utilizing the entirely precedented and legal discretion it has under international law to unilaterally recognize another state. But doing so now, absent a negotiated peace settlement to create such a state, is not so much a diplomatic gesture of support for Palestinians, but a diplomatic rejection of Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. For Canada, the momentous part is not breaking with international law by declaring its recognition of Palestine as a state but breaking with its own international tradition of allying with the U.S. on key international issues. Indeed, this decision signals a widening chasm with America. Trump wants 'to break us, so that America can own us', said Carney on election night. What he didn't say is that maybe Canada has to break with America first. David McLaughlin is a former clerk of the executive council and cabinet secretary in the Manitoba government.
Montreal Gazette
9 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
MPs condemn Montreal Pride organizers for barring Jewish LGBTQ+ group from parade
Five federal MPs have condemned Montreal Pride for excluding a Jewish LGBTQ+ group from this year's parade, calling the decision 'profoundly hurtful' and urging organizers to reverse it. In a joint letter, the MPs said they were 'deeply troubled' by the move to bar Ga'ava from Sunday's march. They said the decision goes against the values of inclusion and solidarity Pride is meant to uphold. 'Ga'ava, Canada's oldest Jewish LGBTQ+ organization, has long provided a vital space for queer Jews to express both their sexual and religious identities with pride,' they wrote. 'Its exclusion from this year's parade is especially troubling, as it sends a message that Jewish identity is not welcome in LGBTQ+ spaces.' The letter was signed by Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather, Leslie Church, Alexandra Mendès, Annie Koutrakis and Sherry Romanado. It also criticized the exclusion of CIJA, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, calling it the representative body for Canada's mainstream Jewish communities. 'By excluding this organization, Montreal Pride is effectively telling the vast majority of Montreal's Jewish community, which has been an important part of this city for almost 300 years, that it is no longer welcome at Pride,' the MPs wrote. 'This is entirely unacceptable.' Accusations of 'hate speech' Fierté Montréal confirmed Thursday that Ga'ava had been barred from the parade after a complaint was made about the group. The decision was taken by the event's ombudsperson, according to board secretary Marlot Marleau. Carlos Godoy, president of Ga'ava, said the group was informed Wednesday it would not be allowed to march. He said in an interview organizers accused the group of using 'hate speech' by describing opponents of their participation as 'pro-terror' and 'pro-Hamas.' 'I've never heard such an outlandish and ludicrous statement in my professional life,' Godoy told The Gazette. A CIJA representative said the organization was also barred, though Fierté declined to confirm that publicly. The controversy follows Quebec singer-songwriter Safia Nolin's withdrawal from a Pride performance in protest of Ga'ava's planned inclusion. Nolin criticized the group's support for Israel and said the presence of Israeli flags at the event would be 'unacceptable.' Wider political context It also comes just as Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada's intention to recognize a Palestinian state under certain conditions — the third G7 country to signal sit would do so — citing Israel's military action in Gaza that has killed 'tens of thousands.' The war in Gaza began after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking hundreds hostage. Marleau told The Gazette that Fierté Montréal has adopted the terminology of several human rights groups in describing Israel's actions as 'genocide.' The MPs are calling for a meeting with Pride organizers and for both Ga'ava and CIJA to be reinstated in this year's parade. With files from The Gazette's Jack Wilson This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 8:03 PM.
Global News
11 hours ago
- Global News
Trump envoy says new Gaza aid plan in works after touring distribution site
U.S. President Donald Trump's Mideast envoy on Friday visited a food distribution site in the Gaza Strip operated by an Israeli-backed American contractor whose efforts to deliver food to the hunger-stricken territory have been marred by violence and controversy. International experts warned this week that a 'worst-case scenario of famine' is playing out in Gaza. Israel's nearly 22-month military offensive against Hamas has shattered security in the territory of some 2 million Palestinians and made it nearly impossible to safely deliver food to starving people. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee toured a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, which has been almost completely destroyed and is now a largely depopulated Israeli military zone. Hundreds of people have been killed by Israeli fire while heading to such aid sites since May, according to witnesses, health officials and the United Nations human rights office. Israel and GHF say they have only fired warning shots and that the toll has been exaggerated. Story continues below advertisement In a report issued on Friday, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said GHF was at the heart of a 'flawed, militarized aid distribution system that has turned aid distributions into regular bloodbaths.' 1:59 International outrage at Gaza starvation ramps up pressure on Israel Witkoff says he's working on a new Gaza aid plan Witkoff posted on X that he had spent over five hours inside Gaza in order to gain 'a clear understanding of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza.' Story continues below advertisement He did not request any meetings with U.N. officials in Gaza during his visit, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters. U.N. agencies have provided aid throughout Gaza since the start of the war, when conditions allow. Chapin Fay, a spokesperson for GHF, said the visit reflected Trump's understanding of the stakes and that 'feeding civilians, not Hamas, must be the priority.' The aid group says it has delivered over 100 million meals since it began operations in May. All four of the group's sites established in May are in zones controlled by the Israeli military and have become flashpoints of desperation, with starving people scrambling for scarce aid. 1:55 Trump sent special envoy to Gaza to inspect food distribution: WH More than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli fire since May while seeking aid in the territory, most near the GHF sites but also near United Nations aid convoys, the U.N. human rights office said last month. Story continues below advertisement The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at people who approach its forces, and GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Dozens killed near aid sites Officials at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza said Friday they received the bodies of 13 people who were killed while trying to get aid, including near the site that U.S. officials visited. GHF denied anyone was killed at their sites on Friday. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The Israeli military said its forces had fired warning shots hundreds of meters (yards) away from the aid site at people it described as suspects and said had ignored orders to distance themselves from its forces. It said it was not aware of any casualties but was still investigating. Another 23 people were killed and dozens wounded near the Israeli-run Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for aid to northern Gaza, according to Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital, which received the bodies. He said the vast majority of injuries were from gunfire. Story continues below advertisement 1:49 Gaza hunger crisis: Palestinians face dangerous fight to get food The Israeli military said it struck several armed militants in northern Gaza but that the strike 'was not conducted near the passage of the humanitarian aid trucks and no damage was caused to them.' The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said 11 people were killed at another aid distribution point in Gaza City. There was no immediate comment from the military on those deaths. HRW slams Israeli-backed aid system Human Rights Watch said in its report that 'it would be near impossible for Palestinians to follow the instructions issued by GHF, stay safe, and receive aid, particularly in the context of ongoing military operations.' It cited doctors, aid seekers and at least one GHF security contractor. Story continues below advertisement Building on previous accounts, it described how how thousands of Palestinians gather near the sites at night before they open. As they head to the sites on foot, Israeli forces control their movements by opening fire toward them. Once inside the sites, they race for aid in a frenzied fee-for-all, with weaker and more vulnerable people coming away with nothing, HRW said. Responding to the report, Israel's military accused Hamas of sabotaging the aid distribution system, without providing evidence. It said it was working to make the routes under its control safer for those traveling to aid sites. GHF did not immediately respond to questions about the report. The group has never allowed journalists to visit their sites and Israel's military has barred reporters from independently entering Gaza throughout the war. 2:28 'Worst-case scenario of famine' happening in Gaza: UN-backed review Top German diplomat condemns settler violence in the West Bank Germany's foreign minister visited Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian Christian village that has seen recent attacks by Israeli settlers. Johann Wadephul said Israel's settlements are an obstacle to peace and condemned settler violence. He also called on Hamas to lay down its arms in Gaza and release the remaining hostages. Story continues below advertisement Germany has so far declined to join other major Western countries, including Canada, in announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state. Palestinians in another nearby town laid to rest 45-year-old Khamis Ayad, who they say suffocated while extinguishing fires set by settlers during an attack the night before. Witnesses said Israeli forces fired live rounds and tear gas toward residents after the settlers attacked. Israel's military said police were investigating the incident. They said security forces found Hebrew graffiti and a burnt vehicle at the scene but had not detained any suspects. 3:42 Israelis, Palestinians react as Canada says it intends to officially recognize a Palestinian state There has been a rise in settler attacks, as well as Palestinian militant attacks on Israelis and large-scale Israeli military operations in the occupied West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel out of Gaza that triggered the Israel-Hamas war. Story continues below advertisement Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, that day and abducted 251 others. They still hold 50 hostages, including around 20 believed to be alive. Most of the others have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians and operates under the Hamas government. The U.N. and other international organizations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. Metz reported from Jerusalem and Frankel from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
