Home Secretary urged to block Australian’s book tour which coincides with third anniversary of attacks
Shabana Mahmood has been urged to ban an Australian academic who described the Oct 7 terror attacks on Israel as “exhilarating” for the “glimmer of hope” they raised for Gaza.
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, has written to Ms Mahmood, saying that Randa Abdel-Fattah should not be allowed to come to the UK on the grounds that her “presence is not conducive to the public good”.
Ms Abdel-Fattah is due to visit Britain between Oct 3 and 9 for a series of public appearances promoting her book, Discipline, which coincides with the third anniversary of the attacks in which at least 1,195 people, including children, were killed.
Mr Philp said that in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, Ms Abdel-Fattah described the events as Palestinians “daring to escape Israel’s prison”.
She subsequently used an image featuring a paraglider as her Facebook profile picture and defended it as representing “a moment of freedom”.
Hamas used paragliders and motorcycles to mount the attack on the Supernova music festival and villages adjacent to the Gaza strip.
A year later, in October 2024, reflecting on Gaza and hope, Ms Abdel-Fattah wrote that “there was a glimmer on October 7” that was “palpable, real and exhilarating”.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your situation, please contact our team at T & M Legis for a consultation with our Legal Experts.
