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**Summary:**

The British government is moving to ban Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian activist group, under antiterrorism laws after its members damaged military aircraft at an RAF base. The government’s decision, prompted by the group’s protests against the UK’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza, will criminalize membership and promotion of Palestine Action. This move has drawn condemnation from some quarters, who view it as a suppression of protest and a double standard given the UK’s continued arms trade with Israel.

**News Article:**

**UK to Ban Palestine Action Under Antiterrorism Laws After RAF Base Damage**

**London, UK** – The British government announced Monday it will proscribe Palestine Action, a pro-Palestinian activist group, under antiterrorism legislation. The move follows the group’s claim of responsibility for damaging military aircraft at RAF Brize Norton last week in protest against the UK’s continued support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza.

The ban will effectively criminalize membership and promotion of Palestine Action, placing the group in the same legal category as organizations like Hamas and ISIS. Individuals found to be in violation could face up to 14 years in prison.

“This action is necessary to protect national security and prevent further criminal acts,” a government spokesperson stated.

Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the RAF Brize Norton incident, stating that two of its members sprayed paint into the engines of Voyager aircraft and attacked them with crowbars. The group alleged that the UK continues to supply military equipment to Israel despite publicly condemning its actions in Gaza.

The decision has sparked criticism. Labour MP Apsana Begum condemned the move as “chilling,” arguing that it represents a double standard given the UK’s ongoing arms trade with Israel.

“Proscribing Palestine Action as ‘terrorists’ while continuing to send arms to a state that is committing the gravest of crimes against humanity in Gaza is not just unjustifiable, it is chilling.”

Palestine Action condemned the government’s action as “draconian,” and the “police response to the solidarity protest”, vowing to continue their activism.

The move comes amidst ongoing weekly protests in the UK against Israel’s war in Gaza and the UK’s arms sales to Israel. While the government claims to have suspended some arms shipments, reports from groups like the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) suggest that licenses for military equipment exports to Israel have actually increased. The government has also refused to halt shipments of components for F-35 fighter jets, citing potential impacts on “international peace and security.”

The ban on Palestine Action is likely to further fuel tensions and debate surrounding the UK’s role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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