UK government approves largest Palestinian cultural event in Europe
The largest Palestinian cultural event in Europe has been given the green light by the UK Government after fears it would be shut down.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), the body responsible for the event venue, wrote a letter of warning to the organisers on behalf of the Secretary of State, Sajid Javid, on June 14.
The letter expressed “concerns that your organisation and those connected with it have expressed public support for a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas, and that you have supported events at which Hamas and Hezbollah – also proscribed – have been praised”.
The letter added that Javid was considering terminating the contract with organisers Friends of Al-Aqsa for the use of the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster on July 8/9 2017.
Nonetheless, Jewish News reported on Tuesday 27 June that the DCLG stated, “We have worked with the QEII Centre to carry out checks following concerns raised about the Palestine Expo 2017. Following these checks, we have agreed the event can take place as planned.”
The UK Government approved the event less than a week after losing a legal battle to the Palestine Solidarity (PSC) campaign for their attempts to stifle peaceful protest of Israel’s policies towards Palestine.
UK government approves largest Palestinian cultural event in Europe