groups proscribed in the UK.

Lawyers representing the Jewish Human Rights Watch (JHRW), an Israeli lobby group based in Britain, accused the pro-Palestine campaign group and its co-organiser, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, of supporting "Jew hate".

In a letter to the DCLG written by JHRW's lawyers, it said: "Our client is certain that this event is a front for Jew hate and that the main groups (Friends of al-Aqsa and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign) are organisations promoting Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) in relation to Israel, a known anti-Semitic movement."

However, the claims were dismissed after a government departmental investigation, and the event was told it could go forward.

Ismail Patel, the founder and chairman of FOA, described the pro-Israeli group's claims as "baseless".

"Since the decision to go ahead was announced, momentumhas grown and thousands of tickets have now been sold," Patel told MEE.

"It now means people in the UK can come and celebrate all things Palestinian at one of the most prestigious buildings in the country."

'A democratic right'

Speaking about the government's decision to not ban the event, Patel said described it as "not a victory as this is us simply exercising our democratic right".

"The pressure came early from pro-Israeli groups that deliberately conflated our work and past statements as anti-semitic and supporting terrorism," he said.

The PSC also denied accusations that it supported "Jew hate" and was anti-Semitic, saying that it would take legal action over what it described as "defamation".

Javid had written a letter to FOA on 14 June saying he had concerns about the group's "public support