The Independent UK:

Lloyds Bank sued for discrimination by employees disciplined over pro-Palestine views

Afra Sohail and Aunngbeen Khalid were subject to disciplinary action for their comments by their employer Lloyds Bank and are seeking damages from the bank for subjecting them to religious and philosophical belief discrimination. The employment tribunal heard their case today 15th July 2024.

Ms Khalid:

Nicola Webster, a HR manager at Lloyds who presided over investigations into the women admitted that she does not know the history of the Palestine and Israel conflict, admitting that Ms Khalid knows more about these issues in Palestine and Gaza than her.

Notwithstanding, Ms Webster told defence barrister Franck Magennis:

I think she displayed a lack of judgement, not thinking before posting on the forum. The comments weren’t inclusive and could have caused offence to other people.

An investigation by Lloyd’s found that Ms Khalid breached the employee code of conduct and the language was “inflammatory”, causing “upset to other colleagues”.

The “incriminating statements” by Ms Khalid were:

“I understand the ‘Jewish people kind of needed a place to go’ but NO ONE had the right to give them Palestinian’s land”

AND

“In turn the evil Israeli government stole more and more land set up illegal settlements (further backed by the US) and started the oppression.”

Ms Sohail

She raised a complaint after receiving a Hewlett-Packard (“HP”) branded monitor from which to work from home. She objected to using this device because HP helps run the identification systems that restrict the movement of Palestinian people within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. She posted a message in a staff forum highlighting her concerns after fruitlessly searching the staff’s online portal for ways to return the monitor.

Lloyd’s argued that she breached the employee code of conduct and that her “comments went beyond exploring how to return the monitor”, “caused upset to colleagues” and “a form of microaggression towards Israelis, particularly those from an Israeli-Jewish background”.

However, the posts were not offensive and the disciplinary process was “spurious” and “irrational” given that it was on the basis that they were antisemitic, Franck Magennis of Garden Court Chamber, legal counsel for the women, argued.

Moreover, there was nothing in the bank’s policies disallowing staff members from speaking about Palestine, Israel and Gaza, it is argued.

For both women, it was their first disciplinary matter within the bank.

Both women were issued with a final written warning for gross misconduct and a separate Financial Conduct Authority breach was found for failure “to act with due skill, care & diligence”, which will remain on their records for at least six years.

Launching employment tribunal action against the bank, the women argue that Lloyd’s has “attempted to restrict their fundamental freedoms” of expression. Both continue to work for Lloyd’s.


Why it is important:
If they win their case, it will be a lot harder for UK zios to sack pro-Palestinian employees.

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The moment the occupation aircraft bombed a house for the Nassar family in the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip, a short while ago.

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If Yasser Arafat waited a bit longer, he would've taken Gaza without settlements. Instead, he negotiated away Palestinian land and rights, granting a "state" with a flag and a government, but not a true state.

In this interview from January 2000, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah asserts that Palestinians alone can reclaim their land through intifada, jihad, and resistance, regardless of all abandonment and betrayal.

Credit: RNN

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