Egyptian activist Alaa Abdelfattah faces criticism from some in Britain

Former Egyptian-British writer and activist Alaa Abdelfattah has faced backlash in Britain following the discovery of a social media post from 2010 in which he expressed support for violence against colonialists, including Zionists. The post was uncovered by authorities and referred to the counter-terrorism police for review.

Alaa spent over a decade in Egyptian prisons following the 2011 uprising that toppled President Hosni Mubarak. He was released on September 23 after a years-long campaign by his mother, sister, and close friends. A travel ban on him was lifted only this month, allowing him to join his family in the UK.

Alaa’s release from prison was met with public attacks, including calls for the revocation of his British citizenship and deportation. The backlash is attributed to the social media post, which has been widely condemned.

In contrast, senior Israeli officials have been welcomed in the UK despite being accused of war crimes. For example, Israel’s air force chief Tomer Bar was granted special legal immunity to visit the UK in July, shielding him from arrest for war crimes while on British soil.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also visited the UK in September and held high-level meetings, despite making statements that have been collected in a database supporting the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. There has been no comparable outcry over his visit.

Additionally, British citizens who have traveled to serve in the Israeli military during conflicts in Gaza and other areas have faced little scrutiny. The UK continues to license arms exports to Israel and engage in cooperation with the country, despite warnings from international bodies about humanitarian consequences.

Alaa’s case highlights a selective approach to outrage, where certain individuals or actions are targeted while others receive little attention.

Source: Al Jazeera