Palestinian activist says UK ‘betrays democracy’ by continuing to back Mahmoud Abbas

A Palestinian political activist has accused Britain and other Western governments of “betraying Palestinian democracy” by continuing to treat Mahmoud Abbas as the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people.

Samir Sinijlawi, an East Jerusalem-born activist and former Fatah youth figure, made the comments at an event at JW3 in north-west London, where he warned that the lack of democratic renewal in Palestinian politics was “dangerous for Palestinians and for Israelis”.

Speaking at Emerging Partners: Perspectives of a Palestinian Insider, Sinijlawi said: “Each leader of yours, when he hosts Abbas and receives him as a legitimate leader of the Palestinian, he is betraying the Palestinian democracy. He’s betraying everything that I am fighting for.”

He added: “We deserve democracy. You cannot tell us that democracy is good for you… and it’s not good for us.”

The event, for which Jewish News was a media partner, brought together organisations including We Democracy, UJS, Progressive Judaism, Yachad and the New Israel Fund, and was chaired by Sunday Times journalist Josh Glancy.

It came amid heightened concern in the UK Jewish community following a series of antisemitic attacks.

Opening the evening, New Israel Fund UK chair Noeleen Cohen referenced the recent violence in north-west London, including the Golders Green stabbings and arson incidents, telling the audience: “Over the past few weeks, the Jewish community has faced more antisemitic attacks… We all feel the complicated, painful reactions of the wider British public and of politicians.”

She added: “Our response, however, cannot be to shrink our lives or our voices.”

In conversation with Glancy, Sinijlawi, who spent five years in an Israeli prison as a teenager during the first intifada, described his political journey from violence to advocating dialogue and non-violence.

“Don’t believe any expert who claims that he understands this conflict if he does not understand it from the eyes of both sides,” he said.

Reflecting on his shift in outlook, he added: “I decided, at a certain point in my life, not to have any hard feelings for the Israelis… When you are able to control it, you will be able always to find common ground.”

He argued that Palestinians must take responsibility for changing the trajectory of the conflict, including recognising Jewish historical ties to the land.

“Not recognising the historical links of Jews and this land is a big mistake. It’s a piece of fact. They belong to this land,” he said.

Such a shift, he suggested, would transform the conflict “from a conflict of who belongs and who does not belong, to a question of how do we both belong?”

At the same time, Sinijlawi said Israel must make a clear strategic decision about its future relationship with the Palestinians.

“Israelis, they need to decide now… separation or annexation,” he said, warning that maintaining the current situation risked further violence.

“The only way to solve this conflict is a two-state solution,” he added. “If you really want a Jewish democratic state, you need to separate from millions of Palestinians.”

Sinijlawi also criticised the Palestinian Authority leadership, describing it as disconnected and entrenched, and pointed to recent local election results as evidence of declining support for Abbas.

“The main challenge for Palestinians now is a lack of leadership,” he said. “Our leadership is living in a bubble.”

Despite the bleak political landscape, he insisted there remained a pathway forward, arguing that change could come through Israeli elections if trust could be rebuilt.

“We are always one Israeli election away from peace,” he said.

The discussion focused on the prospects for a pragmatic, shared future, with Sinijlawi framing the conflict as one increasingly defined by a divide between moderates and extremists.

“This conflict is moderate against radicals,” he said. “The moderates on both sides should be partners.”