UK charities, protest groups condemn Israeli ban threat after sanctions

UK charities, protest groups condemn Israeli ban threat after sanctionsHaving warned London of ‘consequences’ for sanctions, Israel targets UK charities, campaign groups and Palestine Action.London, United Kingdom – British charities, Palestinian advocacy organisations and the proscribed Palestine Action group have condemned an official Israeli letter maligning their representatives and activists and recommending they be barred from entering Israel.The document, seen by Al Jazeera, was issued by Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. It recommends border authorities bar employees and activists associated with aid organisations including Oxfam, Islamic Relief Worldwide, Save the Children, Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council, which receives UK funding, as well as campaign groups including the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Friends of Al-Aqsa.The letter, dated September 8, the day the UK banned imports from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, was previously reported by the BBC and Jerusalem Post.Ismail Patel, founder of Friends of Al-Aqsa, which openly advocates for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, is accused in the letter of joining anti-Israel demonstrations in London and making “harsh statements against Israel” in public appearances and interviews.“To hear Israel is planning to ban Friends of Al-Aqsa for our BDS campaign clearly shows BDS is working and impacting Israel,” Patel told Al Jazeera. “Israeli restrictions will not intimidate us.”Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Ministry did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.Israel follows through on threat of ‘consequences’Israel had warned the UK against the new sanctions, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs raising the prospect of “consequences” for what it called “hostile moves”.