UK Jewish group criticizes Starmer for welcoming activist who once called for Israelis to be killed

The Board of Deputies of British Jews is criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s welcome to Egyptian democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, over past social media posts apparently calling for violence toward Zionists.

Abd El-Fattah, a leading voice during Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising, had been serving a five-year prison sentence in Egypt for “spreading false news” until he was granted a presidential pardon by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi earlier this year. He arrived in the UK on Friday after a ban on his travel was lifted.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had posted on X that he was “delighted” that Abd El-Fattah was back in London. However, posts by Abd El-Fattah from past years on X calling for Israelis to be killed have caused backlash.

I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief.

I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.

Alaa's case has been a top priority…

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 26, 2025

“All Zionists are criminals, all racists are stupid, all humans have rights. These are examples of acceptable generalizations,” he posted at one point.

In addition, Abdel Fattah wrote in 2012 that “there is a critical number of Israelis that we need to kill and then the problem is solved.”

The next day, he posted, “There should be no equal relations with Israel or any other relations. Israel must come to an end.”

He is also said to have posted in 2010, “yes, I consider killing any colonialists and specially zionists heroic, we need to kill more of them.”

Some of the rhetoric appears to have since been deleted.

Adrian Cohen, senior vice president of the Board of Deputies, condemns the posts in a statement.

“His previous extremist and violent rhetoric aimed at ‘Zionists’ and white people in general is threatening to British Jews and the wider public,” the statement says. “The cross-party campaign for such a person, and the warm welcome issued by the government, demonstrate a broken system with an astonishing lack of due diligence by the authorities.”

The Times of London reports that Abd el-Fattah has previously said the comments were taken out of context and were part of a “private conversation” that took place during an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Abd el-Fattah’s press team does not immediately respond to an AP request for comment.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said this morning that while the UK had made Abd El-Fattah’s release “A long-standing priority,” it considers his tweets “abhorrent.”