CAA asks Foreign Affairs Committee to penalise state sponsors of antisemitism, ban Hizballah and shun PSC

Campaign Against Antisemitism has submitted a report to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee in response to its enquiry into Britain’s role in making peace between Israel and its neighbours. Whilst Campaign Against Antisemitism only focusses on antisemitism in the UK, we wanted to draw the Committee’s attention to the domestic ramifications of British foreign policy.

In particular, we are asking the Committee to ensure that the government adjusts its diplomacy to protect British Jews. We have asked that:

• Britain ends aid to governments and agencies which do not adopt and enforce legislation or policies outlawing antisemitic propaganda in state media and education materials, and blocks such countries from taking roles in international bodies, where possible. Antisemitic propaganda from the Middle East is responsible in great part for radicalising immigrant Middle Eastern communities in Britain (and elsewhere) to hate Jews.
• The Foreign and Commonwealth Office drops its opposition to the total proscription of Hizballah under the Terrorism Act, which is enabling Hizballah supporters in the UK to get away with flying the Hizballah flag at demonstrations and even to fundraise for Hizballah. Whilst the authorities should prevent this, they use the fact that Hizballah is only partially proscribed as a loophole to avoid taking action. The FCO’s shameful resistance to fully proscribing Hizballah is permitting the intimidation of British Jews, and may even assist terrorism against them.
• The Foreign and Commonwealth Office ceases all engagement with Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK following a Campaign Against Antisemitism investigation into antisemitism amongst its supporters. The FCO’s policymakers, diplomats and civil servants often strengthen and legitimise PSC by engaging with it on foreign policy matters.

We await the Committee’s response with interest. Our full report can be downloaded from our website.