UK tribunal upholds anti-Zionism as protected belief

A British employment tribunal has upheld a landmark ruling that anti-Zionism qualifies as a legally protected philosophical belief, concluding a five-year legal battle between a former professor and the University of Bristol. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) dismissed the university's appeal on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, confirming that the institution unlawfully discriminated against and unfairly dismissed professor David Miller in October 2021 because of his beliefs.

Miller, a professor of political sociology, was dismissed following a controversy that began with a 2019 lecture and subsequent public comments in which he characterized Zionism as a racist, colonial, and imperialist ideology. He also described some Jewish student groups as acting as political lobby groups. The university stated his conduct did not meet its standards of behavior, but Miller challenged the dismissal, claiming discrimination based on his philosophical beliefs.

In February 2024, an initial employment tribunal ruled in Miller's favor, finding his anti-Zionist views met the legal criteria for protection under the Equality Act 2010 and that his dismissal was discriminatory and unfair. The university...