Anti-Zionist beliefs deemed 'worthy of respect' in UK tribunal ruling

A British employment tribunal has ruled that anti-Zionist beliefs are protected under equality law on Monday. 

Employment Judge Rohan Pirani stated the view that Israel's actions constitute apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide were "worthy of respect in a democratic society".

This significant ruling was published in a 120-page judgment, which explained why anti-Zionist comments should be protected by anti-discrimination laws.  

The case centred on academic David Miller, who had been dismissed by the University of Bristol in 2021 over allegations of making "antisemitic" remarks when he criticised Zionism.

"We find that he has established that [the criteria] have been met and that his belief amounted to a philosophical belief," Pirani said in his ruling.

Miller told the panel that he had regarded Zionism as "inherently racist, imperialist, and colonial," while clarifying that his anti-Zionism was not opposition to Jews.

The panel acknowledged Miller's expertise, concluding his beliefs were significant and genuinely held. 

Pirani noted they were "worthy of respect in a democratic society", did not conflict with human dignity, and did not infringe on others' rights.  

He emphasised that Miller opposed the exclusive realisation of Jewish rights in a land also home to non-Jews, not Jewish self-determination. 

While the judge deemed Miller's public expression of his views "extraordinary and ill-judged," he confirmed the dismissal stemmed from these beliefs.

The tribunal found his views were lawful, not inciting violence or posing threats.  

"What [Miller] said was accepted as lawful, was not antisemitic and did not incite violence and did not pose any threat to any person’s health or safety," Judge Pirani said. 

Following the ruling, Zillur Rahman, Miller's lawyer, released a statement calling it a "landmark case" that "marks a pivotal moment in our country’s history for those who advocate for Palestinian rights".

Miller served as a professor of political sociology at the University of Bristol from September 2018 until October 2021. 

The lengthy case originated from complaints made by two pro-Israel students about a 2019 lecture where Miller identified Zionism as one of the five pillars of Islamophobia.

Later that year, Labour MP John Mann, then chairman of the Parliamentary Committee Against Anti-Semitism, wrote to the university's chancellor.

In response, Bristol officials appointed Aileen McColgan KC to investigate the students' complaints.

The review concluded that Miller did not express hatred towards Jews, thus finding no case against him. 

In February 2021, Miller sent an email to the university's student newspaper, asserting that "Zionism is and always has been a racist, violent, imperialist ideology premised on ethnic cleansing," and referred to the university's Jewish Society as an "Israel lobby group." 

Subsequent reviews claimed that Miller's statements were offensive to many, and a hearing deemed them "wrong and inappropriate", leading to his dismissal for gross misconduct. 

After his appeal was denied, he brought the case against the university to a tribunal, which ruled earlier this year that Miller had been unfairly discriminated against.