Ismail Patel

Ismail Patel (born 1962) is a British optician, and founder of Friends of Al-Aqsa, an NGO based in Leicester.

He is an advisory board member of the Conflicts Forum, director of IslamExpo, and a member of the Special Advisory Board of Clear Conscience.

He writes commentary for The Guardian, and The Independent, Aljazeera English, and Arabian Business.

Gaza Flotilla
He joined the Gaza flotilla, and was on board the MV Mavi Marmara .

He was held by Israel for just under 48 hours and then deported to Turkey. He flew back to London Heathrow, and gave a press conference with Alex Harrison and Daniel Machover.

Personal life
He is the brother of Shockat Adam, the pro-Palestine independent MP for Leicester South since the 2024 United Kingdom general election.