Publisher pays damages over false allegations against pro-Israel campaigner

Book publishers Random House have apologised and paid significant libel damages to Raphi Bloom, the co-chairman of the North West Friends of Israel group, after publishing a book containing false allegations that he intimidated a pro-Palestinian campaigner.

The book, 'Al-Britannia, My Country: A journey through Muslim Britain' by James Fergusson was published by Random House last year.

Mr Fergusson alleged that an unnamed individual – who was subsequently revealed to be Mr Bloom — had led a campaign of harassment and intimidation against Dr Siema Iqbal, who was one of the most prominent campaigners calling for a boycott of the Israeli Kedem shop in central Manchester.

Barrister William Bennett, representing Mr Bloom, told the High Court on Monday, “groups who described themselves as pro-Palestinian began to protest outside the shop in order to prevent members of the public from buying its products on the ground that they were made in Israel”.

Mr Bloom, as co-chairman of the North West Friends of Israel, led a counter-protest.

But Mr Bennett told the court that claims made against Mr Bloom in the book were “seriously defamatory allegations”.

The book had alleged that Mr Bloom had carried out a campaign of “harassment and intimidation” against Dr Iqbal, which included “abusive tweets and emails” against her and “threatening and abusive phone calls”. It was claimed that he had called her a “Nazi doctor” and that police had warned him to desist from such behaviour.

The allegation were false, Mr Bennett said, and had caused Mr Bloom “significant consternation”.

In an agreed statement, Random House accepted that the allegations against Mr Bloom were untrue, offered “sincere apologies”, and agreed to pay him damages and the costs of litigation. It also agreed not to republish the allegations.

Penguin Books, which published the book under the umbrella of Random House, has now amended the book.

Mr Bloom told the JC that he now intends to donate the money from the libel case to Israeli charities.

In a statement, Mr Bloom said: “When James Ferguson published his book, Al Brittania, he did not check the facts with me. Instead he simply accepted the falsehoods made in his interview of Dr Siema Iqbal. Those people who tell lies end up paying a high price.

“Her allegations are untrue as the Court has now found. Dr Iqbal lied in order to enhance the vindictive attempt to smear the work of pro-Israel campaigners in the UK who are simply defending Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East and the only Jewish state in the world against antisemitic attempts to delegitimise it.

“It gives me huge pleasure that the Dr Iqbal has enabled me to make a substantial donation to Israel focused charities and organisations so that they can continue the vital work they are doing. To know that those who hate Israel are now responsible for helping its people even more is fantastic. If anyone wants an example of irony that is it.

“I would like to thank my solicitor Mark Lewis for his sterling work in winning this case.”

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