Palestine Action ‘supporters’ wait to be arrested under the Terrorism Act. (Photo: James Manning / Alamy)
[Declassified] Exclusive: Documents seen by Declassified reveal serious concerns within the UK government and MI5 about proscribing Palestine Action.
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Declassified has now seen documents which detail why, how, and when the decision to proscribe Palestine Action was made. They form part of the material relied upon in the group’s High Court challenge to the ban.
‘Novel and unprecedented’
The documents detail how the government’s Proscription Review Group (PRG) conceded in March 2025 that a ban on Palestine Action would be “novel and unprecedented”.
This was because “there was no known precedent of an organisation being proscribed… mainly due to its use or threat of action involving serious damage to property”.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), which is based within MI5, also concluded that “the majority of direct action by Palestine Action would not be classified as terrorism… but does often involve criminality”.
Cooper was nonetheless advised in March by PRG and JTAC that the threshold to ban the group had been met based on three out of a total of 385 incidents, involving “serious property damage” to arms factories.
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The documents also indicate how national security concerns were not a central factor in the Home Office’s decision to proscribe. Indeed, they barely feature in the government’s open evidence.
Ammori’s lawyers argued in court that “no national security justification for the proscription” was articulated by the Home Office, such that Cooper “did not take into account any weighty national security consideration requiring immediate proscription”.
This appears to run contrary to Cooper’s statement to parliament on 23 June, in which she declared: “The UK’s defence enterprise is vital to the nation’s national security and this Government will not tolerate those who put that security at risk”.
An Israeli soldier points his weapon during a military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, June 10, 2025
THE MINISTRY of Defence has admitted that Israeli troops are currently being trained in Britain as the government is accused of “active participation” in the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Armed forces minister Luke Pollard responded to a parliamentary question from Rachael Maskell MP by saying that Britain is “currently training” Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) personnel on “UK-based training courses.”
Mr Pollard said the training was one part of a “routine defence engagement” with Israel.
His response followed investigations into the British army’s training of Israeli personnel by media outlet Declassified.
Labour MP Richard Burgon, who chairs the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, told the Morning Star the admission was “truly sickening, especially given the genocide being carried out in Gaza.
“It’s also a flagrant violation of international law. The International Court of Justice has been totally clear that all states must stop any co-operation that aids Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.
“Britain has a moral and legal duty to immediately end all arms sales and military co-operation with Israel.”
The Scottish Greens also hit back at the government’s admission, saying Britain’s role in the Gaza war “goes beyond complicity.”
Party co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP said: “This is nothing short of disgraceful. This goes beyond complicity — it is direct, active participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people.
“The UK is actively training members of the Israeli military while they carry out a brutal assault on Gaza.
“Every bomb dropped, every home destroyed, every child killed is a crime that the UK government is now tied to.
“Training soldiers who are part of these atrocities is a betrayal of every principle of human rights and international law. It must stop now.”
Palestine Solidarity Campaign deputy director Peter Leary said the “disgraceful” revelation highlights the total inadequacy of the government’s actions.
“On Tuesday, Britain announced long-overdue sanctions against two Israeli ministers but continues to supply weapons to a regime that is perpetrating well-documented war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“We need much more than just a change of rhetoric and blocks on two ministers’ bank accounts.
“We need a full arms embargo, wide-ranging sanctions on the Israeli state, and a complete end to all military co-operation now.”
In a statement to the Morning Star, a spokeswoman from the Stop The War Coalition said: “That Britain is actively involved in training a foreign military currently engaged in genocide comes as little surprise given Labour ministers have been actively enabling the brutality of the IDF throughout.
“The political rhetoric may be starting to shift as Keir Starmer, David Lammy and the rest try to realign their government’s support for Israel’s war on Gaza in an attempt to placate public opposition.
“But it’s clearer than ever just how deep their collaboration with and enabling of war crimes goes.”
UK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWREGenocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAUK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin questioned by Declassified’s editor, Phil Miller. (Photo: Alex Morris / Declassified UK)
‘I don’t really have time for this conversation’, Admiral Radakin tells Declassified when asked about his role in Israel’s genocide.
The chief of the defence staff – Britain’s most senior military officer – refused to answer questions yesterday about Royal Air Force (RAF) surveillance flights over Gaza and intelligence sharing with Israel.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin declined to comment on whether the operations made him a participant in Israel’s campaign in Gaza, which is the subject of a genocide investigation by the UN’s top court.
Radakin was questioned about the operations by Declassified for more than two minutes as he walked along London’s Victoria Embankment from the Ministry of Defence to parliamentary offices at Portcullis House.
“I’m going to a public accounts committee hearing and I don’t really have time for this conversation”, the Admiral said, before refusing to engage further.
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When asked about British intelligence sharing with Israel, Gazan lawyer Raji Sourani, director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, toldDeclassified that the UK government “are not complicit only but they are partners in the genocide”.
UK Labour Party government Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are participants and complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide providing Israel with army and air force support.Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAUK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
DECLASSIFIED UK Exclusive: A high-ranking Israeli military delegation tried to quietly visit London today [22 January 2025] but was quizzed outside the Ministry of Defence by Declassified.
An Israeli military delegation led by Major General Oded Basyuk visited Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) today, Declassified can reveal.
Basyuk is the head of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Operations Directorate, which is responsible for preparing the Israeli military for war.
The unit works alongside the IDF’s regional commands as well as the air force and navy.
Basyuk was on the ground in Gaza during Israel’s most recent onslaught and presided over decision-making on last year’s offensive in southern Lebanon.
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UK-Israel military collaboration
The visit highlights the ongoing high-level military collaboration between the UK and Israel, despite Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu being pursued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Keir Starmer spoke over the phone with Netanyahu yesterday, with both politicians agreeing to continue “close co-operation on defence and security matters”.
According to Downing Street, the goal of this cooperation is to support “wider stability in the region – particularly in the face of the ongoing threat posed by Iran”.
Netanyahu’s office recounted a different version of events.
It said the Israeli prime minister “raised the issue of the weapons export licences to Israel that have been frozen in the UK”, with Starmer responding “that an evaluation of the issue is being carried out”.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAUK Foreign Minister David Lammy confirms that UK government and military are active participants in Israel’s genocides and that the F-35 parts that they suspended from supplying to Israel are instead simply diverted via the United States. He says see https://youtu.be/QILgUHrdWRE
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and chief of staff Gen.Herzi Halevi visit the Netzarim corridor in Gaza, 19 November 2024 (Credit: Abaca Press/Alamy Live News)
Exclusive: Days after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders, its top general flew to London.
Israel’s top soldier, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, visited Britain earlier this week, the UK government has confirmed to Declassified.
The visit came three days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for “crimes against humanity and war crimes”.
Those include “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”, as well as “intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population”.
Halevi was initially reported to have been included in the ICC’s arrest applications for the crime of having “deliberately starved Palestinians in Gaza”. He was also forced to apologise in April after the Israeli military killed seven international aid workers including three Britons in Gaza.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Declassified: “As part of the concerted UK effort, along with allies and partners, to reach a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza, the Chief of the Defence Staff hosted his counterparts from Israel and other European partners”.
The spokesperson added: “Discussions included the UK calls for an immediate ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza and the need for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law while recognising Israel’s right to security”.
A ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon was announced on Tuesday.
An Israeli soldier points his weapon during a military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, June 10, 2025
