The Labour government will not hold a public inquiry into the influence of pro-Israel groups in British politics, even after more than 114,000 people signed a parliamentary petition calling for a probe.
In a response to the petition, the government said it “does not support a public inquiry on pro-Israeli influence, and does not have plans to hold an inquiry on wider foreign influence and lobbying more generally.”
It added: “However, the government takes concerns about foreign influence in politics and democracy seriously, and is already taking action to address this.”
Last month, the government published an urgent review into foreign financial interference in UK politics. It mentioned Iran, Russia and China but not Israel.
Because the petition got over 100,000 signatures, it will still be considered for debate in the Commons. The petition reads: “We are concerned about reported Israeli state-linked and pro-Israel lobbying activity in UK politics. We believe it is important to determine the scope and impact of any such influence campaigns.”
It adds: “We feel that the horrific devastation in Gaza, the ongoing suppression of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the UK’s political response underline the urgent need to scrutinise how pro-Israel organisations, networks, and lobbying efforts may shape government decisions, party policy, and public debate.”
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
An activist with People Against Genocide kicks down a ceiling inside the UAV Tactical Systems, owned by Elbit, in the city of Leicester, England on Friday April 24, 2026.(Photo: via social media / screengrab)
“We are fucking sick and tired of our government’s collaboration in this genocide,” said one activist who participated in the direct action.
In the early hours of Friday morning, members of the anti-war group People Against Genocide in the United Kingdom gained access to the roof of a drone manufacturing facility in the city of Leicester and began sabotaging a so-called “clean room” to hamper the building of weapons used in the ongoing Israeli military assault on Gaza that experts from around the world characterize as genocide and a crime against humanity.
The UAV Tactical Systems facility, owned by the Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems Ltd., has been the target of protest in recent years for its role in providing the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) with unmanned aerial drones, combat vehicles, surveillance equipment, and other military hardware.
“We are fucking sick and tired of our government’s collaboration in this genocide that Israel is committing against the Palestinian people,” said one unnamed activist, sitting on the facility’s roof early Friday. “We are tired of waiting for them to uphold international law.”
Activists from ‘People Against Genocide’ have occupied a Leicester factory owned by Elbit Systems UK this morning, drilling a hole through its roof in order to abseil into the building.
The team of activists evaded security and used ladders to climb over razor-wire fencing at… pic.twitter.com/uWJ0r6s2av
Footage posted online by The Aftershock, a media outlet focused on the pro-Palestinian movement, showed members of the People Against Genocide on the roof of the facility in Leicester and then making their way down toward the manufacturing rooms inside.
“They’re breaking the ceiling of the clean room used to make key parts for Israeli military drones,” the outlet noted. “Contaminating the clean room can knock it out of use for several months.”
BREAKING: 'People Against Genocide' have abseiled through the roof of Elbit's arms factory in Leicester.
They're breaking the ceiling of the clean room used to make key parts for Israeli military drones.
At approximately 10am, an action taker from the group occupying the roof abseiled into the factory through a hole made with power tools. Whilst abseiling into the weapons factory, the action taker proceeded to damage the ceiling and air supply to the clean room.
The clean room is used to make essential components for Israeli military drones and, once contaminated, it could be out of use for several months.
The action involved four people from direct action group People Against Genocide. They successfully evaded recently-increased security patrols at the plant, and used 10m extension ladders to ascend over razor-wire fencing, gaining access to the factory roof. The team next began to use high-grade power tools to cut their way through the roof, to damage weaponry inside.
“We cannot stand idly by while Elbit continues to manufacture death and destruction here in Leicester,” a spokesperson for People Against Genocide said in a statement.
“Petitions, protests and lobbying decision makers who are actively involved in the Gaza genocide, has unsurprisingly, failed to create necessary change,” the spokesperson explained. “Therefore, rather than appeal to politicians or the government, we’re bypassing the complicit decision makers and are taking direct action to shut Elbit down and disrupt the murderous Israeli war machine ourselves.”
“Genocide,” said the unnamed activist on the roof of the facility, “has no place in this world. That’s why we’re here today—to shut Elbit down.”
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
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Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi gives a speech in Cairo, Egypt on February 4, 2026.[Doğukan Keskinkılıç – Anadolu Agency]
“Deliberate efforts” are being made to redraw the map of the Middle East, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned on Saturday, Anadolu reports.
“The Middle East is going through critical circumstances amid deliberate efforts to redraw its map,” Sisi said in a televised speech to mark the 44th anniversary of Sinai’s liberation from Israeli occupation.
He called for full implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, which was reached last October, including unhindered entry of humanitarian aid and the immediate launch of the enclave’s reconstruction.
Gaza was destroyed in Israel’s two-year-long genocide. The first phase of the truce involved exchange of Israeli hostages in exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
The president also expressed Egypt’s categorical rejection of any attempt to displace Palestinians.
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Nigel Farage objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
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Ambulances belonging to Egypt’s Ministry of Health stand ready on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing for the transfer of Palestinian patients from Gaza and possible emergency needs, in Rafah, Egypt, on February 8, 2026. [Ahmed Sayed – Anadolu Agency]
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said Israel is continuing to tighten its blockade on the Gaza Strip by closing crossings and controlling the entry of aid and the number of travellers through the Rafah crossing.
In a video statement on Monday, Qassem said the Rafah crossing had been closed while severe restrictions on aid deliveries remain in place. He added that Israel had not met the agreed number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza, with fewer than half entering, alongside continued limits on the number of travellers.
Qassem said Israel is pursuing a policy of “engineering starvation” in Gaza, pointing to rising prices of basic goods as hunger deepens, as well as ongoing violations including shelling and killings, such as those reported early on Monday.
He added that what is happening reflects a systematic Israeli policy of violations, calling for a “genuine stance” from mediators and guarantor states, as well as what he described as the “Board of Peace”, to put an end to these actions and lift the blockade on Gaza after two years of what he described as genocide.
Meanwhile, Ismail Al-Thawabta, Director General of the Government Media Office, said the humanitarian crisis in the enclave has reached unprecedented levels amid the continued closure of crossings, particularly the Rafah crossing.
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Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Donald Trump warns against following the https://onaquietday.org blog, says that it’s easy atm, she only needs to report war crimes supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion.
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People hold banners as they protest the government inaction to stop Israel’s war on Gaza in front of the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland on September 20, 2025. [Omar Marques – Anadolu Agency]
A recent European study has found that a significant share of people in Central and Eastern Europe believe Israel’s actions against Palestinians are similar to those of Nazi Germany against Jews, with Poland recording the highest level of agreement.
According to the study, published by the UNESCO Chair for interdisciplinary research on antisemitism at the University of Warsaw, 45 per cent of Polish respondents agreed with the statement that “Israel’s actions against Palestinians are no different from the Nazis’ treatment of Jews”. Only 18.7 per cent disagreed, while 36.2 per cent said they had no clear opinion.
The research, conducted by specialists in Holocaust studies and prejudice from universities across Eastern Europe, also showed similar trends in other countries. In Slovakia, 42.7 per cent agreed with the comparison, compared with 16.2 per cent who disagreed. In Austria, 41.3 per cent supported the view, while 25.6 per cent opposed it.
In Germany, 40.5 per cent of respondents made the comparison, compared with 26.3 per cent who rejected it. The Czech Republic recorded 32.8 per cent in agreement and 29 per cent in opposition. Hungary had the lowest level of support for the comparison at 29.9 per cent, while 27.4 per cent disagreed.
The study comes days after a controversial incident in the Polish parliament, where far-right MP Konrad Berkowicz raised an Israeli flag marked with a swastika, a symbol associated with Nazism.
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Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
