Tatchell calls Palestine Action ban a muddle and criticises UK arms sales to Israel

Peter Tatchell has criticised the UK government's ban on Palestine Action and British arms sales to Israel, in remarks made during a broadcast interview.

He said he did not agree that Palestine is a terrorist organisation. He argued that Palestine Action is seeking to uphold international and British laws against genocide and war crimes. You may disagree with their tactics, he said, but their principle is absolutely right.

Tatchell called the government's decision to ban the group an 'awful muddle'. He said it was supported by people who are most self-evidently not terrorists, and compared the situation to the distinction between Sinn Fein and the IRA. You do not ban Sinn Fein, he said, but you do ban the IRA. He accepted that some people within Palestine Action might be closer to the IRA side and said anyone who commits criminal acts can be charged with criminal damage.

He also criticised arrests of protesters, saying that arresting 80-year-old ladies for protesting and holding banners was a particularly silly thing for governments to do because it made them look absurd.

On arms sales, Tatchell said the government was upholding the ban while not doing enough to stop British collusion, including arms sales to Israel, which he said was killing innocent civilians. He said at least 20,000 Palestinian children had been murdered by Israel, calling that shocking.

He said Israel had a right to attack Hamas, which he called a terrorist organisation, and Hezbollah, but not to kill innocent civilians. Every effort should be made to protect civilians, he added. He also said the best solution was a two-state solution, which he said Palestinians now agree with but Israel opposes.