Petition urges British government to launch inquiry into anti-Palestinian racism

The petition was launched on Monday by Gary Spedding, an independent cross-party consultant on Israel-Palestine, and has since racked up over 1,500 signatures.

If it receives 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. And if it reaches 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in parliament.

“Many view Anti-Palestinian Racism as a significant and growing problem in the UK, manifesting at all levels of society and in multiple spheres,” the petition reads.

“We believe this hatred reinforces oppressive & discriminatory systems that dehumanise and demonise Palestinians whilst also fracturing community cohesion.”

Independent MP Adnan Hussain told Middle East Eye that calls for the government to recognise and specify anti-Palestinian racism are “welcome and necessary”.

“Dehumanisation of the Palestinian people over a period of many decades has led us to a place where we are now witnessing a genocide against them,” he added.

“Crimes of such catastrophic and grave natures are not born out of a vacuum. So indeed, any and all action possible must be taken to fight against this status quo, including the recognition of racism specific to the Palestinian people.”

The petition advocates for the government to adopt a definition “based on the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination”, a 1969 United Nations convention that committed members to eliminating racial discrimination and promoting understanding between races.

Independent MP Ayoub Khan told MEE: “We should all be concerned about the rise of anti-Palestinian racism in the UK, which manifests across society and reinforces harmful, discriminatory systems that dehumanise and demonise Palestinians.

“This growing issue not only fractures community cohesion but also stifles free expression and hinders open, respectful debate on the Israel-Palestine conflict.”

Dr Zahira Jaser, an Italian-Palestinian academic at the University of Sussex Business School, explained: “We can imagine anti-Palestinian racism having three broad categories: the denial of Palestinian existence (e.g. ‘a land without a people’), the denial of Palestinians’ suffering at the hand of Israel (e.g. Palestinians died, instead of Palestinians are assassinated by strikes), the blanket defamation of antisemitism and terrorism to anyone who is Palestinian or speaks for Palestine.”

Jaser is the author of a recent working paper on anti-Palestinian racism.

She added: “The racism in the form of defamation of Palestinians and their supporters as antisemitic or terrorist is key to silencing Palestinians and their grievances against Israel. Hence, it interferes with free speech on campuses and in society in general, it interferes with the democratic process.”

Spedding, who created the petition, told MEE that “British politics is awash with anti-Palestinian racism”.

“Our political leaders are often parroting language and rhetoric that reinforces the demonisation and dehumanisation of Palestinians.”

Spedding stated that Palestinians are often “portrayed as irrational violent actors who hate Jews for being Jewish”, saying that anti-Palesinian racism clouds “crucial conversations” about injustices Palestinians face.

“We urgently need a working definition of anti-Palestinian racism with clear examples, so that this hatred can be challenged,” he added.