The UK government is considering plans to expel foreign students, academics, and workers who commit anti-Semitic acts or voice support for terror group Hamas. The immigration minister, Robert Jenrick, has asked officials to examine how visas could be revoked on national security grounds if there is evidence of discrimination or advocacy for Hamas. France’s interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, has already implemented a similar policy, with three foreigners expelled from France for anti-Semitic behavior.
The UK can withdraw visas if there is “proportionate” evidence of a threat to national security or public good. After hundreds of civilians were killed during a recent attack, several Palestine societies at universities praised Hamas on social media, leading to criminal investigations and police reporting.
Academics have also been accused of justifying the attacks by Hamas militants on civilians in online posts, including one that said the killings were a “consequence” for “partying on stolen land”.
University College London confirmed that it was investigating an academic for reposting a comment made on Oct 7 saying that Palestinian “retaliation” had been “entirely justifiable”.
A Home Office source told The Telegraph: “We’ve seen some sickening displays of anti-Semitism and glorification for the terrorism of Hamas.
“If those in the UK on visas behave in this manner, it is clearly conducive to the public good that they have their visa revoked and be removed, as the law permits.
“It’s important that the British Jewish community know that they are protected and we establish basic norms of conduct for those staying in the UK.”
It is understood some of the comments by students are already being reviewed by Home Office officials to establish whether and how they could take action to terminate their visas.
Gillian Keegan, the Education Secretary, has written to university vice-chancellors asking them to act “swiftly and decisively” to stamp out “implicit or explicit” threats to Jewish students.
“We have seen evidence of a number of student societies that support Palestinians sending out inflammatory messages that show support for Hamas, which is, as you know, a proscribed terrorist organisation,” wrote Ms Keegan.