Jewish lawyer fights misconduct charge over historical Hamas joke

A Jewish solicitor is facing a disciplinary hearing over six-year-old social media comments critical of antisemitism and a joke about Hamas suicide bombers.

Matthew Berlow, a Glasgow-based lawyer and co-founder of Glasgow Friends of Israel, is being investigated by the Law Society of Scotland for a 2019 Facebook post that included a satirical comment about Hamas and criticism of “antisemitic rhetoric”.

The comments being investigated by Berlow’s regulatory body include “a darkly comic pun about Hamas suicide bombers and strong criticisms of individuals promoting antisemitic rhetoric online,” according to a fundraising page set up by Berlow to cover his legal costs – which has attracted a pledge from illusionist Uri Geller.

The page says the complaint was submitted by a woman, who is not named, “with a documented history of posting antisemitic content and targeting Jewish activists”.

Berlow previously faced sanctions by the regulatory body for a post on social media calling a Palestine activist group “scummy racists”. He was initially ordered to pay a fine of £1,750 and undergo diversity training, but after winning a 2019 appeal, the regulator’s decision was overturned.

Now he is preparing to defend himself at another disciplinary hearing on 27 May and is hoping to raise £5,000 on Crowd Justice to help fund his costs.

His crowdfunding page says he is “fighting to defend his professional reputation and to uphold the right of Jewish lawyers to speak freely on matters of public interest.”

It adds that the case raises questions about free speech and political expression, as well as antisemitism, “institutional double standards” and “equality before the law”.

“Berlow is a Jewish solicitor, married to a Muslim woman, with a 30-year record of tireless campaigning both professionally for clients and for Israel. He now faces a misconduct tribunal for political comments and satirical remarks. Would others be treated in the same way under similar circumstances?” the page says.

Among Berlow’s supporters is Israeli-British illusionist Uri Geller, who donated £1,000 and wrote: “Matthew should not have to fight this alone! He is a brave and principled defender of truth and justice for Jewish people in the face of an explosion of antisemitism in the UK.

“The complaint against him is an outrage! We MUST stand by him. Please give what you can and let's help him win!”

Famous spoon bender Uri Geller has pledged support for a British lawyer facing a disciplinary hearing over his social media posts (Photo: Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images

Speaking to the JC, Geller said he is supporting Berlow because “he is a defender of truth and justice... and protects Jewish people at a time of this horrendous explosion of antisemitism worldwide.”

Geller, who lived in the UK for 35 years and owns an island off the coast of Scotland, added: “Anyone in a position to help Matthew should do it; he shouldn’t feel that he is alone.”

The illusionist said what was happening to Berlow was “a tiny molecular example of what is happening around the world.”

“I look at my friends in England, Belgium and America, and I am very concerned because the jihadists are creating a normalisation of extremist practices and penetrating extremist Islam into global culture,” said Geller, who lives in Jaffa.

He said he has supported other campaigns and hopes that backing Berlow’s fundraiser “will give an example to other celebrities to join in”.

The Law Society of Scotland has been approached for comment.