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🇮🇱 Israel /Crime & Justice

UK court hears Jewish activist invited Hamas support after Oct. 7

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A UK court heard that a Jewish anti-Zionist activist allegedly invited support for Hamas on October 7, 2023.
  • Prosecutors claim three social media posts breached the Terrorism Act by encouraging support for a proscribed organization.
  • The defense argues the posts were legitimate political expression and commentary on the Middle East conflict.

A prominent Jewish anti-Zionist activist in the UK is facing charges for allegedly inviting support for Hamas following the October 7 attacks. Tony Greenstein, a founding member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is accused of breaching the Terrorism Act 2000 through three social media posts made on the day of the Hamas-led attack.

Please share. Full support for the Gaza ghetto uprising.

— Tony GreensteinProsecutors cited this statement from Greenstein's X/Twitter account on October 7, 2023, as evidence of inviting support for Hamas.

Prosecutors presented posts from Greenstein's X/Twitter account, including one that stated, "Please share. Full support for the Gaza ghetto uprising." They argued that in the context of October 7, this phrase clearly indicated support for Hamas, even without explicitly naming the organization. Further posts allegedly linked to a blog that praised Hamas's attack as "well-planned and audacious."

The time to fight is now. Whatever criticisms one can make of Hamas, we should congratulate them on this well-planned and audacious attack on the Zionist enemy.

— Tony GreensteinThis line from a blog linked in Greenstein's posts was presented by prosecutors as further evidence of support for Hamas.

During the court hearing, prosecutor Kate Temple-Mabe contended that Greenstein's language went beyond mere political dissent, constituting a "clear invitation of moral or intellectual support" for a designated terrorist group. The defense, however, countered these claims, asserting that Greenstein's statements were part of his broader anti-Zionist political expression and constituted legitimate commentary on the Middle East conflict, not an endorsement of terrorism.

in that specific context, on that specific date – can only have meant support for Hamas.

— Kate Temple-MabeThe prosecutor argued that Greenstein's reference to the 'Gaza ghetto uprising' on October 7 clearly implied support for Hamas.

Greenstein's legal team highlighted that he did not explicitly support all of Hamas's actions and that his words were not intended as an invitation to support terrorism. The 72-year-old activist has a history of political controversy, including past expulsions and a suspended prison sentence for a separate incident. The Campaign Against Antisemitism has commented on the trial, noting Greenstein's history of courting controversy.

clear invitation of moral or intellectual support

— Kate Temple-MabeThe prosecutor's characterization of Greenstein's alleged posts during the court hearing.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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