LONDON — Palestinian-American activist Mo Hamzeh says he intends to challenge the British government after his electronic travel authorisation was revoked shortly before he was due to attend a Gaza charity fundraiser in London, in a case that has intensified debate over free expression, antisemitism allegations and the treatment of pro-Palestinian advocates in the United Kingdom.

UK Border Force staff checking travel documents at a port
Illustrative image of UK Border Force passport checks. Photo: UK Home Office / Wikimedia Commons; Open Government Licence v3.0.

The campaign to prevent Hamzeh’s entry was publicly acknowledged by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), a pro-Israel legal advocacy group that said it submitted information to the Home Office urging officials to stop him from travelling to Britain. Hamzeh’s travel permission was subsequently cancelled, with the notice reportedly stating that his presence in the UK would not be “conducive to the public good”.

Hamzeh, a Palestinian-American designer and trustee and vice-chair of the charity Sun of Freedom, had been scheduled to attend the organisation’s annual fundraising event in London on November 6. The event was organised to raise money for humanitarian work supporting people in Gaza.

Travel Authorisation Revoked Before London Event

According to reporting by The New Arab, Hamzeh said his Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), which had been approved weeks earlier, was cancelled shortly before his planned departure. He said the notice did not provide a detailed explanation or an opportunity to respond to the allegations.

In a video announcing the decision, Hamzeh described the action as discriminatory and said he believed it was connected to his public advocacy for Palestinian rights and criticism of Israel. He has said he intends to pursue legal action unless the government provides a justification for revoking his permission to travel.

Al Jazeera reported on November 11 that Hamzeh was considering legal action against the UK government and that a pro-Israel activist group had acknowledged its role in efforts to block his entry. The Home Office has not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the individual decision.

UK Lawyers For Israel Says It Contacted Home Office

UKLFI said it submitted a report to the Home Office on October 19, raising concerns about statements and social media content attributed to Hamzeh. The group alleged that some of his posts promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, used dehumanising language and included threatening statements about Jews and Israelis. It argued that his planned appearances in Britain could create risks for public order and the Jewish community.

The group said its submission drew on material gathered by the online account GnasherJew. UKLFI subsequently welcomed the decision to prevent Hamzeh from entering the country and called on the Charity Commission to examine whether he should continue as a trustee of Sun of Freedom.

These are allegations made by the campaigners and should not be treated as judicial findings. Hamzeh has rejected the accusations and disputes the characterisation of his criticism of Israel as antisemitism. The controversy has therefore centred not only on the Home Office decision but also on the substance, context and interpretation of the material submitted to officials.

Dispute Over Clothing Designs And Charity Links

UKLFI’s complaint also raised concerns about the Mo Hamz Collection, a range of clothing designed by Hamzeh and sold through Warrior Ink Apparel. The campaigners objected to slogans and imagery on some items, arguing that they crossed the line into antisemitic or extremist messaging. Hamzeh has rejected that interpretation and says the designs are political criticism of Israel.

The charity has sought to distinguish its humanitarian work from Hamzeh’s personal commercial and political activities. In comments reported by The New Arab, Sun of Freedom chair Angie Walker said only products explicitly carrying the charity’s logo were affiliated with the organisation. She described Hamzeh as an important figure in the charity and said it would not remove him as a trustee in response to external demands.

Sun of Freedom’s own event page described the November 6 gathering, titled “Palestine: A Journey Through Heritage & Hope”, as a fundraising event supporting its humanitarian work in Gaza. The charity said the programme included Palestinian culture, art, food and personal stories, with livestream and donation options also made available.

Charity Commission Review Remains Ongoing

The Charity Commission has confirmed that Sun of Freedom is subject to an ongoing compliance case after concerns were raised with the regulator. The New Arab reported that the commission had received information from the charity’s trustees and was continuing to assess the material.

As of the latest reporting, the commission had not announced findings against the charity. An ongoing compliance review is not, by itself, proof of wrongdoing. The regulator’s work and any eventual conclusions should be distinguished from allegations submitted by outside campaign groups.

The Home Office generally does not comment on individual immigration cases. In public statements cited by British media, the department has said it is committed to tackling antisemitism and has no tolerance for people who seek to spread hatred, incite violence or threaten communities.

A Wider Debate About Advocacy And Entry Decisions

Hamzeh’s case has drawn attention because it brings together two serious public interests: protecting Jewish communities from antisemitism and threats, and safeguarding lawful political expression, including criticism of the Israeli government and advocacy for Palestinian rights. The central questions include what evidence was considered by the Home Office, how the decision was reached and what avenues of review are available to a person whose travel permission has been cancelled.

Supporters of Hamzeh argue that the decision risks discouraging Palestinian advocacy and humanitarian campaigning. UKLFI and its supporters say the allegations go beyond criticism of Israeli policy and involve rhetoric they consider antisemitic and threatening. Those competing positions underline why transparent evidence and a clear explanation of the government’s decision are important.

HeadlinesXtra Analysis

The Hamzeh case highlights the influence that organised advocacy groups can exert when they submit complaints or evidence to public authorities. UKLFI has openly acknowledged its intervention, while Hamzeh says the resulting decision is unjust and intends to challenge it. The government’s stated public-good rationale, however, has not been accompanied by a detailed public explanation in the reporting available so far.

There are important distinctions that should not be lost in the political dispute. Criticism of a state or its policies is not automatically antisemitic; equally, political expression does not place statements targeting Jews as a group or threatening people beyond scrutiny. Assessing the allegations requires examining the actual language, context and evidence rather than relying solely on labels used by either side.

For the public, the unresolved issues are procedural fairness, the evidentiary basis for the travel decision and the independence of the charity regulator’s review. A transparent process would help protect communities from genuine hatred while preserving confidence that immigration powers are applied fairly and that humanitarian work is not judged solely through political pressure.

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