Latest news with #UKLFI
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Union sparks criticism after urging teachers to bring Palestine struggle into schools
Critics have accused Britain's biggest teaching union of spreading pro-Palestine propaganda after coaching members on how to bring the 'Palestinian struggle' into schools. The National Education Union (NEU) encouraged teachers to hold a day of action at schools on Thursday to highlight 'the Palestinian struggle for freedom'. They are also holding a workshop next month to train members in how to 'advocate for Palestine in our schools'. However, critics have warned that the events could breach legislation banning the promotion of biased political views in schools. The workshop will be run by Makan, an educational group that works towards 'adopting educational approaches that capture the history of the Palestinian struggle'. Their workshops provide 'foundational knowledge on key issues like the Nakba, settler colonialism, imperialism, and apartheid'. Critics fear that teachers who attend the event in Liverpool on June 14, will be encouraged to spread one-sided information about the conflict in Gaza. The legal charity UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has called on the Department for Education and local councils to crack down on what it says is the promotion of pro-Palestine and anti-Israel propaganda in schools. 'The NEU appears to be defying government guidelines on political impartiality in schools, by persuading teachers to brainwash children into supporting the Palestinian cause,' Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, told The Telegraph. Liverpool city council responded saying it will remind teachers of the ban on the promotion of bias content. Reena Bhogal-Welsh, Liverpool's director of education and inclusion said she would be writing to all schools and academies in the city but added that 'teachers are free to attend protests outside of school'. The Nakba day of action on Thursday marked the 77th anniversary of what is regarded by Palestinians as the time they were driven from their homes by the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. The day encouraged teachers to organise lunch-time meetings and after-school film screenings 'to educate colleagues about the Palestinian struggle'. Several leading figures in the NEU are active members on the pro-Palestine movement. One of their executive members Louise Regan is director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. A Department for Education spokesman said: 'For any pupil to feel unwelcome or intimidated in their school is completely unacceptable. At a time when Jewish students are experiencing a surge in appalling anti-Semitism, teachers should consider the message they are sending to children and young people when taking part in these activities. 'It is a legal duty for teachers to be politically impartial, and schools should be a place of safety for all children – no matter their faith or background.' The NEU defended its members taking part in actions of support of the Palestinian cause. The NEU said: 'The event in June is looking at equipping teachers with the confidence and resources to manage conversations or issues that may arise from the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. 'It is aimed at supporting individual pupils or staff directly impacted or strongly engaged in the Israel/Palestine conflict. It also looks at how best to address any negative fall-out arising from the conflict among pupils or families such as anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. 'Teachers know when addressing any political or sensitive issues in school their professional obligation is to do so in an impartial, respectful, calm and balanced way.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Union tells teachers to bring ‘Palestine struggle' into schools
Britain's biggest teaching union is coaching its members on how to bring the 'Palestinian struggle' into schools. The National Education Union (NEU) is holding a workshop next month to train members in how to 'advocate for Palestine in our schools'. At the same time, the union encouraged teachers to hold a day of action at their place of work on Thursday to highlight 'the Palestinian struggle for freedom'. Critics have accused the NEU of spreading pro-Palestine propaganda and warned that both events could breach legislation barring the promotion of partisan political views in schools. They say the events could also go against rules requiring councils and head teachers to ensure pupils are presented with a balance of opposing views on political issues. The NEU-organised workshop, being held in Liverpool on June 14, is being run by Makan, an educational group that works towards 'adopting educational approaches that capture the history of the Palestinian struggle', which are 'aimed at strengthening the movement for Palestinian liberation'. Makan says its workshops are designed to provide 'foundational knowledge on key issues like the Nakba, settler colonialism, imperialism, and apartheid'. It has led critics to fear that teachers who attend the Liverpool workshop will be encouraged to spread one-sided information about the conflict in Gaza. The legal charity UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) has now called on the Department for Education and local councils to crack down on what it says is the promotion of pro-Palestine and anti-Israel propaganda in schools. It wants teachers to be reminded of their legal obligations in ensuring they do not promote 'partisan political views' in schools. Caroline Turner, director of UKLFI, said: 'The NEU appears to be defying government guidelines on political impartiality in schools, by persuading teachers to brainwash children into supporting the Palestinian cause. 'This is extremely concerning and we hope that the local authorities and head teachers will act to ensure this does not happen.' Many Jews say accusations of settler colonialism, apartheid and genocide levelled at Israel by some NEU activists are anti-Semitic – as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance – since they compare its actions to that of the Nazis and the Holocaust. The union has rejected the claims, saying its members abide by their professional code of conduct to teach political subjects in a balanced manner. The NEU-backed Nakba day of action encourages teachers to circulate petitions calling for the boycott of companies 'complicit in Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land', including arms companies supplying Israel; and organise lunch-time meetings and after-school film screenings 'to educate colleagues about the Palestinian struggle'. Several British trade unions backed Thursday's day of action, which marked the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, or 'catastrophe', regarded by Palestinians as the moment they were driven from their homes by the founding of the state of Israel in 1948. A number of leading figures in the NEU are active in the pro-Palestinian movement, including Louise Regan, one of the union's executive members, who is also a director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign; and Daniel Kebede, its general secretary. He was due to address Saturday's national demonstration in London commemorating the anniversary of the Nakba. They also include Mat Milovanovic, a London teacher standing for election to the union's executive, who has also campaigned against Prevent, the government programme to tackle radicalisation. Liverpool city council has responded to UKLFI's call by saying it will remind teachers in the city's schools of the ban on the promotion of partisan political views in teaching, setting up a potential clash with the NEU. Reena Bhogal-Welsh, Liverpool's director of education and inclusion, said she would also be writing to all schools and academies in the city to remind them of the ban and to 'take steps to ensure the balanced presentation of opposing views on political issues when they are brought to the attention of pupils'. She added that 'teachers are free to attend protests outside of school' and that the council did not have the power to ban the June 14 workshop. A Department for Education spokesman said: 'For any pupil to feel unwelcome or intimidated in their school is completely unacceptable. At a time when Jewish students are experiencing a surge in appalling anti-Semitism, teachers should consider the message they are sending to children and young people when taking part in these activities. 'It is a legal duty for teachers to be politically impartial, and schools should be a place of safety for all children – no matter their faith or background.' The NEU defended its members taking part in actions of support of the Palestinian cause. A union spokesman said: 'The day of action is explicitly for school staff and is not for students to participate in. It is not accurate to say it's designed to indoctrinate children and young people. What needs to be under the spotlight is Israel's breaches of international law and the wholly disproportionate retaliation against a whole civilian population, including vulnerable children.' The NEU added: 'The event in June is looking at equipping teachers with the confidence and resources to manage conversations or issues that may arise from the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. It is aimed at supporting individual pupils or staff directly impacted or strongly engaged in the Israel/Palestine conflict. It also looks at how best to address any negative fall-out arising from the conflict among pupils or families such as anti-Semitism or Islamophobia. 'Teachers know when addressing any political or sensitive issues in school their professional obligation is to do so in an impartial, respectful, calm and balanced way.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Arab News
10-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
UK pro-Israel group slammed for suggesting war could reduce Gaza obesity
LONDON: A pro-Israel pressure group in the UK has been condemned for suggesting that Palestinians in the Gaza Strip may benefit from a reduction in obesity levels arising from the war, The Guardian reported on Saturday. The comments — made by Jonathan Turner, head of UK Lawyers for Israel — followed a series of warnings by the UN and aid agencies that Gaza faces imminent famine. Turner, on behalf of UKLFI, was responding to a motion set to be debated at the annual general meeting of the Co-operative Group, a major British retailer. The motion calls for the Co-operative to stop stocking Israeli products, as part of the worldwide Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. UKLFI urged the Co-operative council to withdraw the motion. In doing so, Turner highlighted the motion's reference to a letter published last year by The Lancet, a leading medical journal, which said the death toll in Gaza could be far higher than the 52,000 put forth by the enclave's Health Ministry. Turner said the letter 'ignored factors that may increase average life expectancy in Gaza, bearing in mind that one of the biggest health issues in Gaza prior to the current war was obesity … These factors include the possible reduction in the availability of confectionery and cigarettes.' Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, said on X that Turner's comments represent 'atrocious views,' adding: 'How very kind of Israel to put 2.3 million Palestinians on an enforced diet to improve their obesity levels.' The Lancet has published several studies relating to Israel's war in Gaza. One found that life expectancy in the enclave plunged by 34.9 years during the first year of the war. Gaza's pre-war life expectancy was 75.5 years. Since March, Israel has implemented a total blockade on the entry of humanitarian goods to the enclave. Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: 'As children in the Gaza Strip face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death, the suggestion by the head of UK Lawyers for Israel that they might benefit from weight loss is utterly sickening. 'These repulsive comments illustrate exactly what it means to be 'for Israel' and how low its apologists are prepared to sink in their attempts to justify genocide in Gaza.' UKLFI previously faced controversy over the removal of artwork made by Palestinian children in a London hospital. The organization submitted a complaint to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in 2023, claiming that artwork created by Palestinian children and displayed in the facility made Jewish patients feel 'vulnerable, harassed and victimized.' The hospital removed the works.
The Guardian
10-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
UK Lawyers for Israel condemned over claim war may reduce obesity in Gaza
A UK-based advocacy group for Israel has been criticised for suggesting a reduction in obesity resulting from the war in Gaza may increase life expectancy there. The comments by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which came amid warnings of impending famine in Gaza, were condemned as 'sickening' by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC). UKLFI's patrons include the former supreme court judge Lord Dyson, the former Conservative leader Lord Howard and Lord Pannick KC, who has represented Boris Johnson and Elizabeth II. The remarks were made by Jonathan Turner, the chief executive of UKLFI, in response to a motion due to be debated at Co-op's annual general meeting calling for the retailer to stop selling Israeli produce. Urging the Co-op council to withdraw the motion, Turner criticised the fact that it refers to an estimated death toll of 186,000. In a letter to the Co-op group secretary, Turner wrote that it was 'totally false and misleading' to cite the figure from a letter published by the Lancet last year, which was a projected figure including indirect casualties. He adds: 'The [Lancet] letter also ignored factors that may increase average life expectancy in Gaza, bearing in mind that one of the biggest health issues in Gaza prior to the current war was obesity.' The death toll since Israel began its assault on Gaza after the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel stands at more than 52,000, according to the territory's health authority. A separate study in the Lancet found life expectancy in Gaza decreased by 34.9 years during the first 12 months of the war, about half (-46.3%) the prewar level of 75.5 years. Ben Jamal, the director of the PSC, said: 'As children in the Gaza Strip face the growing risk of starvation, illness and death, the suggestion by the head of UK Lawyers for Israel that they might benefit from weight loss is utterly sickening. These repulsive comments illustrate exactly what it means to be 'for Israel' and how low its apologists are prepared to sink in their attempts to justify genocide in Gaza.' Chris Doyle, the director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu), wrote on X that the comments represented 'atrocious views'. He said: 'How very kind of Israel to put 2.3 million Palestinians on an enforced diet to improve their obesity levels.' A complaint by UKLFI led Chelsea and Westminster hospital in London to remove a display of artwork by Palestinian children in 2023 after the group claimed that it made Jewish patients feel 'vulnerable, harassed and victimised'. It has also threatened the UK government with legal action over its decision to suspend about 30 licences for the export of arms to Israel. Turner said: 'We first pointed out that the letter published in the Lancet on 20 July 2024, to which the motion evidently referred, did not claim that 186,000 Gazans had died in the current war. It did, however, claim – without foundation – that 186,000 Gaza would be likely to die eventually as a result of the war. 'So we pointed out, secondly, that this claim was based on entirely unfounded speculation, which also ignored factors that might result in lengthening the lives of Gazans, given the public health situation existing in Gaza prior to the war, including the extent of obesity. These factors include the possible reduction in the availability of confectionery and cigarettes. 'In the context in which they were made, our statements were accurate and objective.'
Middle East Eye
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Senior British MP rages at 'delusional' pro-Israel lawyer in parliament meeting
A British parliamentary hearing on Israel and Palestine on Tuesday afternoon became unusually heated when a pro-Israel lawyer clashed with the chair of the foreign affairs select committee over Gaza. Natasha Hausdorff, director of the pro-Israel advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), was grilled by the committee of MPs, which scrutinises government policy. The MPs heard evidence from Hausdorff as part of an ongoing inquiry into the Israel-Palestine conflict. Hausdorff's organisation, UKLFI, recently threatened to mount a legal challenge against the British government over its partial suspension of arms sales to Israel. Middle East Eye revealed last September that UKLFI asked the Israeli government for help to fight the threat of legal action by two NGOs working in the occupied Palestinian territories. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The session got off to a rocky start when senior Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the chair, repeatedly asked Hausdorff what a positive future would look like for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. Hausdorff responded by calling for the defeat of Hamas and an end to "indoctrination and incentivisation to terror". Thornberry, unimpressed, said, "let's keep ourselves calm," and restated the question. Hausdorff eventually suggested a "start-up culture in the West Bank". "The public will have heard your answers," Thornberry concluded. As the session went on and MPs put questions to Hausdorff, Thornberry became visibly more frustrated. Israeli foreign minister planned to cut London trip short before UK blocked arrest attempt Read More » The lawyer insisted that Israel has sovereignty over the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem - areas that the United Nations, International Court of Justice and British government consider to be Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation. Hausdorff threw scorn on the major international institutions and said they could not be trusted. Thornberry pressed her on the issue. "It's not the Israeli government's position that Israel's border goes from the river to the sea?" she asked multiple times. Hausdorff responded that Israel "does not need to state that", insisting it was simply the reality. Abtisam Mohamed, the Labour MP recently denied entry to Israel on the grounds that she would promote "hate speech", which she strongly denied, stepped in to ask a question. Hausdorff was on the radio publicly endorsing Israel's decision to deny her entry just weeks ago. Mohamed repeatedly asked Hausdorff whether she believed Palestinians have a right to their own state, eventually yielding a negative response: "Not according to international law, no." 'Oh no, no, no, nah, nah, nah' The most extraordinary part of the session was still to come. Questioned on whether Israel is obeying international humanitarian law in Gaza, Hausdorff said that the "two entities I'm aware of that Israel has shared elements of sensitive intelligence with," the United States and Britain, "have consistently said they do not have concerns about Israel's approach to humanitarian law so far as-" Thornberry interjected. "Oh no, no, no, nah, nah, nah," the committee chair said loudly. "No, no, no. That is an extraordinary allegation." Hausdorff appeared exasperated. UK Lawyers for Israel sought Israeli help in dispute with Palestine NGOs Read More » "Be careful what you're saying," Thornberry warned her. "I beg your pardon?" Hausdoff replied. She complained that she had come to parliament "in good faith" yet had been "told to be quiet" while answering questions. "Please answer this question accurately and with care," Thornberry said. She then suggested that Britain is not selling arms to Israel that can be used in Gaza because there is a risk of Israel breaching humanitarian law. Hausdorff insisted that the UK's concerns regarding international law had "nothing to do with the arms that have been embargoed", accusing the government of making a "political" decision that was "deeply deeply troubling". The pro-Israel lawyer landed herself in hot water with another member of the committee by claiming that the Israeli military has conducted itself with more respect for international humanitarian law than any other army in history. Labour MP Alex Ballinger appeared infuriated. "I take your claim that the [Israeli army] has the highest standards of international humanitarian law for any army in history as outrageous," he said. "Having served in the British military myself, I think that is a particularly staggering claim." Hausdorff responded by pointing to British military figures who had made the same claim. Towards the end of the session, asked about Israel blocking aid from entering Gaza, Hausdorff was reprimanded by Thornberry yet again for speaking about historical incidents. "Answer the question that you've been asked," Thornberry told her. "You've been asked specifically about aid not getting in and you're talking about another period of time." Hausdorff claimed that "if indeed individuals are facing food insecurity in Gaza", it is because Hamas is stealing aid. She added that the UK's policy is to "encourage Hamas" - at which point Thornberry could be heard saying: "Delusional, delusional. "Extraordinary, extraordinary." Less heated exchanges The exchanges were unusually fiery for a meeting of the foreign affairs select committee. Before Hausdorff's appearance, the committee had questioned Shelly Tal Meron, a member of the Knesset and the centrist Yesh Atid Party, over video. It was a relatively relaxed and uneventful meeting in which Meron said she supported a two-state solution but that "we have to insist on" eliminating Hamas and defended the Israeli military. These were all views she had previously publicly expressed. Emily Thornberry rebukes Israel's ambassador, says Israel broke ceasefire deal Read More » Also more calm was a session with pro-Israel British commentator Jonathan Sacerdoti after Hausdorff left. Sacerdoti was grilled on whether he supported an end to the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. He said there were good arguments on both sides. Thornberry asked him what peace looked like. "Demilitarisation, deradicalisation, de-jihadism, educating [Palestinians] towards living peacefully with your neighbours," Sacerdoti said. The foreign affairs select committee recently visited Israel, which provoked a row after Thornberry revealed in March that Israel's deputy foreign minister had posted secretly filmed footage of her and other MPs on Instagram without her "knowledge or consent". Relations between certain British parliamentarians and the Israeli government are not at their best.
