B’nai B’rith UK has urged the government to formally designate antizionism as an extremist ideology, impose a permanent ban on London’s annual al-Quds Day demonstration and introduce tougher measures to protect Jewish communities from antisemitism.
The proposals appear in a new report, Antizionism: The New Face of Anti-Jewish Extremism, written by Dr Jeremy Havardi and presented in parliament on October 20.
The launch at Portcullis House was co-chaired by Labour MP and chair of Labour Friends of Israel Mark Sewards and former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith.
The 108-page report set out 11 recommendations, arguing that antizionism has become a major vehicle for contemporary antisemitism, drawing on historical Nazi propaganda, Soviet antizionist ideology and Islamist extremism.
Havardi contended that rhetoric presented as human rights advocacy or political opposition to Israel can, in some circumstances, reproduce antisemitic ideas and contribute to the intimidation and exclusion of Jews from public life.
“Antizionism is today’s predominant vehicle for expressing hatred of Jews,” he said.
“It is an extremist movement with destructive ends that brings harm to Israelis, Palestinians and the global Jewish community. We must confront it head-on.”
Among the report’s proposals is a formal government classification of antizionism as extremism, alongside condemnation of political parties, NGOs and civil society groups that promote what it considers anti-Jewish extremism.
It also demands restrictions on where demonstrations can take place, saying: “No march should be allowed next to synagogues, Jewish schools or Jewish social venues as this is a clear example of racist provocation.”
Havardi further recommended the arrest and prosecution of demonstrators who incite violence against Zionists, including through calls for an intifada or slogans threatening Jewish people.
The report acknowledges the importance of freedom of expression but argues that it should not protect incitement to violence.
It also calls for a permanent prohibition on al-Quds Day demonstrations in London, which Havardi linked to Iranian efforts to promote radicalisation in Britain. The 2026 march was prohibited following public order concerns, but the report seeks a permanent ban rather than a decision relating to an individual event.
The report proposes new obligations for public institutions, including mandatory reporting of antisemitic incidents and complaints, together with details of how they have been addressed.
Dr Lesley Klaff, director of academic engagement at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy, said Jewish students continued to face difficulties on campus.
“Universities cannot claim to provide equal educational opportunity while Jewish students are made to feel unsafe, unwelcome, or unable to participate fully in academic life,” she said.
For charities, the report recommends that the Charity Commission close organisations found to promote antizionist violence or hatred, while protecting lawful advocacy. It also urges music, sporting and cultural venues to consider their Equality Act obligations when responding to demands to exclude Jewish or Israeli performers.
Duncan Smith called for political leaders to act before incidents escalate.
“It is not enough to condemn antisemitism after it erupts,” he said. “Silence is not an option.”
The report advocates adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, training university administrators to recognise anti-Jewish prejudice and appointing dedicated antisemitism officers where possible.
It also calls for disciplinary action against university staff and students found to be glorifying Palestinian or Islamist terrorism.
Beyond domestic institutions and protests, the report calls for the expulsion of Iran’s ambassador to Britain and restrictions on media outlets it alleges promote the ideology of the Iranian regime and its regional allies.
Havardi also recommended proscribing the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organisation on national-security grounds. If the legal threshold for proscription is not met, he suggested considering an alternative extremist designation.
The report further calls for greater transparency and monitoring of Qatari funding for Islamist organisations in Britain, arguing that such funding can contribute to the spread of antisemitic and antizionist narratives.
Havardi argued that antizionism also damages prospects for peaceful coexistence by marginalising Israelis and Palestinians who support dialogue and negotiated solutions.
The report points to the economic links that existed before October 7, 2023, when more than 160,000 Palestinians worked in Israel or Israeli settlements, as an example of the importance of cross-border cooperation.
It argues that political rejectionism undermines opportunities for Palestinians and conflicts with Britain's stated support for a two-state solution and regional normalisation.
B’nai B’rith UK says the report is intended to encourage a more direct response to antisemitism and the ideologies it believes underpin it.
Its recommendations have not been adopted as government policy. Any proposed restrictions on protests, changes to the treatment of organisations or new institutional obligations would require separate consideration by the relevant authorities.
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