Palestine Action supporter condemns ‘terrorism’ charge in court scene

Martin Shipton

A veteran anti-war activist who has previously been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize read out an impassioned statement in court condemning the decision to charge her with a terrorist offence for protesting against Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.

Angie Zelter, 74, of Knucklas in Powys appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court after taking part in a mass protest outside Parliament during which she held a notice reading: “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action.”

Palestine Action is a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the UK following direct action protests including one in which RAF aircraft were damaged. The group accuses Britain of helping Israel’s war machine. The decision to ban the organisation is being challenged in the High Court.

More than 2,500 people have been arrested for non-violently showing public support for Palestine Action.

During her court appearance, Ms Zelter refused to plead and read out a statement which she was prevented from completing.

Later she read it outside the court, stating: I think it’s a terrible indictment of the criminal justice system that you are charging me with terrorism and not our government with aiding and abetting genocide.

“We are not terrorists. The terrorists are those who have bombed Gaza, killing more than 72,000 Palestinians and leaving thousands more unnamed still under the rubble. It is the Israeli government who is now deliberately starving the survivors in Gaza and annexing more and more of the West Bank and Jerusalem. It is they who are continually breaking the ceasefire and continuing the bombing of civilians trying to survive in the wasteland.”

Ms Zelter said at that point the judge presiding over the hearing tried to leave the court after trying to stop her completing the statement.

“I said before she went: ‘You as a judge have a legal duty, as well as a moral one, to recognise the paramount importance of international law and not to allow a corrupted domestic law to supersede it. I urge you to remember the judges’ trial at Nuremberg, when 16 German justices were prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They stood accused of judicial murder and other atrocities, which they committed by destroying law and justice in Germany and then utilising the corrupted legal process for the persecution, enslavement and extermination of Jews and others.

“Most were found guilty of perverting justice to support Nazi policies by sitting in this so-called terrorist court and allowing these prosecutions to continue.

“I indict you with perverting the course of justice. The UK, ever since the 1917 Balfour Declaration [promising Jews a homeland in Palestine], have enabled Zionists to take over Palestine as a settler colonial enterprise. It is the UK of today who provide not only the political support, but also the weapons training, surveillance and RAF military bases that are still enabling the genocide to continue.

“The International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice and the UN Commission of Inquiry have all offered interim or definitive statements that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. This is a crime under international law, and the British government, as a signatory to the UN Genocide Convention, is duty bound to prevent it. We peaceful protesters are simply making clear Britain’s international obligations to stop supporting Israel’s genocide, land theft and destruction of the Palestinian homeland.”

Ms Zelter’s case was adjourned.

Climate activist

A peace and climate activist for more than 40 years, she has been arrested more than 100 times during non-violent direct action campaigns and has served at least 16 prison sentences.

One of her initiatives involved co-founding a group known as Trident Ploughshares, which damaged a floating sonar testing station for the UK nuclear weapons programme at Loch Goil in Scotland.

Between 2001 and 2005 she was active in many actions with the International Solidarity Movement and other organisations designed to protect Palestinians in the West Bank against the violence of the Israeli army and of the illegal settlements which made their lives increasingly difficult. The Israeli government eventually refused to allow her to return.

In 2012 Angie Zelter was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Mairead Maguire, who herself won the prize in 1976 for her efforts towards creating peace in Northern Ireland.