Not dead yet: Leader of Zion Projects on rekindling UK's love for Israel – interview

All is not yet lost in Great Britain's strained relationship with Israel, according to the chair of the British-based pro-Israel charity, who points to significant movements and events supporting the Jewish state.

Despite rising antisemitism and hostility toward Israel being so prevalent in the United Kingdom, Danny Stupple, chairman of Zion Projects, told ALL ISRAEL NEWS he was heartened to see the turnout of pro-Israel heavyweights at the recent meeting of the UK Israel Alliance (UKIA). 

The London gathering included diplomats, journalists, activists and advocates, who convened to discuss British relations with Israel and the Jewish community. This was the second such UKIA meeting, the first of which had author and commentator Douglas Murray as the main speaker.

This year’s speaker was former member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands Ayaan Hirsi Ali, interviewed by Camilla Tominey, Associate Editor of the Telegraph.

She laid it out so plainly,” said Stupple, saying Ali spoke about the “end game” of extremist Islam at a national level.  When it comes to the Jewish people, Ali warned, “it’s not just discrimination, it’s elimination.”

“You could have heard a pin drop,” he said. “You realize how serious it all is.” 

He added: “It's not going to go away unless it's addressed and it has to be addressed at all levels: 
Political, religious, state education. She was just going through all these layers and how long it might take,” Stupple said, referring to Ali's warning about Islamic extremism. “It's not going to happen overnight.

Britain has gained a reputation as a hotbed of extremism, with police being slow to deal with antisemitism but cracking down on those questioning Islam – a trend that has drawn fire even from U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who have publicly commented on the erosion of free speech in the UK.

Stupple himself has experienced some of this treatment. After the National Secular Society found a video of a private prayer meeting where Stupple described Islam as "a very strong force of spiritual wickedness," Baroness Scott described Stupple’s comments as “abhorrent” and retracted the £43,220 ($58,000) grant awarded to the charity as part of the government’s Faith New Deal fund.  

Stupple said he has seen a lot of hate speech, mainly directed against Israel and the Jewish people and especially during the pro-Palestinian marches on the streets of London. “The hatred towards Jews since October 7 is one of the saddest things I've seen in my life. To be honest, I never thought we'd see that again.”

“We've also seen on the streets quite interesting marches seeking to remember the Christian heritage of the British Isles, while at the same time showing solidarity with Israel and with the people of Iran through display of national flags,” he added, commenting on the recent “Unite the Kingdom” marches in September 2025 and earlier this month organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

“It looks as if the voices that the Lord is using may be coming from some very strange, unexpected sources,” said Stupple, referring to the biblical story of Balaam’s donkey in Numbers 22.

“Maybe the Lord is using “donkeys” to tell the British Isles that He has never done us any harm and has always been good to us throughout the history of these Islands,” Stupple suggested, drawing the parallel between the words put in Balaam’s donkey's mouth and some of those standing up for the long-term past British commitment to Israel today. “Let’s wait and see,” he added. 

“There are national destinies at stake here… In the Bible, there's something very powerful about nations and the alliances they make,” he said. “There has always been a destiny prophesied in scripture that from the Ends of the Earth there would be a blessing towards Israel.” 


Yet, Stupple expressed his concern that Britain has not only forgotten its heritage but even come to hate it, in some instances. 

“Our history with Israel as a Gentile nation is pretty unparalleled,” said Stupple. “Since we turned our back on them after 1948, the USA has taken up that amazing mantle. So those three nations: Israel, the British Isles – and from us historically – the USA, I can't shake it. That's the national alliance that I believe the Lord wants us to have.” 

He believes it is essential to remember British history and heritage, and to find what has been lost. According to Stupple, the history of the British Isles is not only being forgotten but even “untaught” in schools, where students are often encouraged to be ashamed of their national history.

Stupple was speaking from Moggerhanger House in Bedfordshire, a building with an extraordinary and pertinent history. It was thought to have been used as a base by members of the influential “Clapham Sect,” 22 men who made a huge impact in late 18th- and early 19th-century Britain and indeed the world, leading the charge to abolish slavery and also the Restorationist Movement for the re-establishment of Israel.

“I'm trying to understand how that was possible, how did 22 people change a country?” Stupple asked, reflecting on the extraordinary legacy left by the small group of philanthropists and reformers including William Wilberforce and Henry Thornton.

“Are the Brits re-finding their history? It seems the challenge to remember is being ignored by the institutional churches, but it’s coming up from the street, so it's rough. There's something arising,” Stupple said, pointing to the significant swing away from the political left which has become overwhelmingly hostile towards Israel.

He spoke about a new movement called the Grassroots People’s Support (GPS Network) which he encountered at UKIA, bringing together more than 400 groups to counter extremism and support British Jews and British values. They describe themselves as “ordinary people taking extraordinary action,” petitioning against anti-Israel boycotts in local councils and reporting antisemitism in social media, as well as supporting and mobilizing pro-Israel activities, many of which are organized by Christian groups.

“More and more Jewish people in this country are saying that their friends are Evangelical Christians. It's a lovely work going on.” Stupple added.

Highlighting an upcoming event entitled “Be Not Silent” to be held on June 13, Stupple explained it echoed back to an event in 1998 where over 2,000 people gathered in South West England. 

“It was the first time in Britain that Jewish believers had the main platform at such a large event,” Stupple recalled, saying it was time to do that again. 

This year’s conference, based on the theme “One New Man” from the verse in Ephesians 2:15, will once again bring Israeli believers of Yeshua (Jesus) to the platform. Speakers include Pastor Saleem Shalash from an Arab Church in Nazareth, Jewish pastor Israel Pochtar, Barry Segal, Reuven Doron, and Canon Andrew White.

“There's something special about that revelation of the one new man. If I had to say, what is our hope? It's that the church sees that and the nation follows,” said Stupple. 
“It’s quite exciting.” 

After all, 22 people can change a nation. Or if those people have been discipled by Jesus, perhaps just 12.