Palestine Action's proscription as terrorism was unlawful and those opposing genocide will be vindicated by history
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/owen-jones. "The Palestine Action ruling vindicates the courageous – and shames the complicit | Owen Jones | The Guardian." February 13, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
Owen Jones argues that a court ruling against banning Palestine Action proves that activists fighting against what he sees as genocide are on the right side of history. He believes the government is wrong to treat these protesters like terrorists when they're actually heroes like the suffragettes, and that history will vindicate them while condemning those who helped Israel.
Conclusion
The high court ruling that Palestine Action's proscription as a terrorist organization was unlawful vindicates those who courageously opposed genocide, while those who facilitated it will be condemned by history
Premises
- The UK high court ruled that proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organization (equivalent to al-Qaida and Islamic State) was unlawful
- Palestine Action's direct action tactics against Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems are comparable to the suffragettes, who are now celebrated despite using more extreme methods
- Multiple authoritative sources (UN commission, genocide scholars, NGOs, ICC) have concluded that Israel is committing genocide and war crimes in Gaza
- The UK government is complicit in these crimes by supplying crucial components for Israeli fighter jets and sharing intelligence
- English juries have repeatedly acquitted Palestine Action activists, indicating public support for their cause
- Public polling shows majority support for the activists' positions (arms embargo, sanctions, Netanyahu's arrest)
- The government's refusal to acknowledge Israeli war crimes is motivated by avoiding legal obligations to stop arms supplies
Assumptions
- Genocide is 'the crime of crimes' that justifies extraordinary measures to stop
- Historical vindication of the suffragettes provides a valid precedent for judging Palestine Action
- Public opinion and jury acquittals reflect moral legitimacy
- International legal institutions (UN, ICC) provide authoritative determinations of genocide and war crimes
- Government complicity in genocide is morally equivalent to or worse than property damage
- History will judge current events similarly to how it judges past moral struggles