The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network launched a campaign yesterday highlighting a viciously litigious pro-Israeli association of lawyers, the UK Lawyers For Israel.
On the day of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, activists handed out leaflets to staff from multiple companies as they arrived for work at Aldgate Tower in London, alerting them of the activities of the group, which has a registered office in the building.
In amplified speeches Jewish speakers explained their choice of date, saying they could not celebrate The Book Of Life while it is stained by the blood of Palestine.
A series of speakers highlighted some of the ‘lawfare’ carried out by UK LFI, characterising it as a campaign of harassment and suppression of pro-Palestinian events and organisations.
According to one speaker, UKLFI wrote to the Co-op when shareholders were considering a boycott motion at the AGM. It challenged their figures of numbers likely to be killed in Gaza, even claiming that health benefits had not been taken into account – because Gazans had been suffering from obesity before the attack.
The long-standing Camp For Palestine opposite the US Embassy has also come under attack from what they call “UK Liars For Israel”. In an attempt to use commercial advertising rules against political protest, the LFI complained to the council that the camp was violating planning regulations by displaying large banners.
Last year UK LFI challenged the government’s decision to suspend 30 arms licences to Israel. They also joined a submission to the International Criminal Court questioning the war crime arrest warrants issued against leading Israeli figures, claiming they would “jeopardise the survival” of Israel and its people. They even reported the ICC’s lead prosecutor Karim Khan KC and other staff to the Bar Standards Authority, alleging misconduct relating to the arrest warrants.
IJAN speakers pointed out that LFI’s funding and lobbying activities are far from transparent, and may amount to political interference to further the interests of a foreign government.
The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC) have both submitted formal complaints to the Solicitors Regulation Authority against UKLFI’s director Caroline Turner, alleging breaches of the SRA’s Principles and Code of Conduct. They cite eight examples of threatening letters sent to organisations or individuals, describing them as a pattern of vexatious or legally baseless correspondence, and call for Turner’s suspension. The complaint also asks the SRA to regulate the ‘association’ as a law firm – it currently avoids regulation through its loose structure.
In a series of responses on their website, UKLFI respond to criticism claiming they take a lawful approach to combatting antisemitism, harassment and terrorism and that claims of censorship are a misrepresentation. However, campaigners point to the group’s foundation at a conference in an illegal settlement, and their links to extremist and internationally condemned groups like Regavim, which promotes illegal settlement and which was co-founded by Bezalel Smotrich.
Security staff at the building ushered staff to a different entrance, but many took leaflets and some stopped and asked questions – generally the response showed response and interest. After around an hour and a half, IJAN ended the action, with the promise that they will be back.
