Britain and the Hamas Ban
D. Ibrahim Hamami
19/11/2021
• British Home Secretary Bertie Patel announced her intention to designate Hamas as a “whole” terrorist group under the 2000 Anti-Terrorism Act – the political and military wings.
The minister added that anyone who supports Hamas will be considered a criminal and will be punished — a maximum of 14 years in prison and a fine.
• The intended support according to the aforementioned anti-terrorism law is not only for those who belong to the movement, but also for all those who “support, justifies or glorifys” what you do, including wearing clothes or holding up slogans with images or slogans; Or holding meetings in favor or in favor of it.
• This decision needs the support of Parliament, which is expected to vote on it with acceptance given the majority enjoyed by the ruling Conservative Party, the majority of whose members belong to the committees supporting the occupation – the vote will be on 26/11/2021, a week from today.
Until this announcement, Britain had been the undeclared separation of the political and military wings since March 2001 – in which the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades were classified as a terrorist group.
• At the time, the British Home Office announced that the government saw a difference between the political and military wings of Hamas.
• As a reminder, the European Union , of which Britain was a part until recently, previously classified Hamas as a terrorist movement with its wings – unlike what it did with the Lebanese Hezbollah at the time, where it maintained contacts with the party’s politicians.
• Britain did not amend its laws to bring them in line with the EU decision and continued to deal on the basis of the separation of the political and military wings.
• After Hamas won the legislative elections in 2006, Britain opened indirect lines of communication with Hamas. The notorious Prime Minister Tony Biller even met with Hamas leaders.
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• But the position of the British government today has changed for several reasons, including:
– The conservative government’s almost total bias towards the occupation and condoning its crimes.
The position of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who previously described himself in a 2017 article as an “ardent Zionist” – Passionate Zionist, This justifies the Israeli prime minister’s thanks to his “friend” Johnson.
The Home Secretary’s personal attitude that forced her to resign – that is, expel her – from Theresa May’s government because of secret contacts with Israeli leaders in Tel Aviv, London and New York with the occupation and its support without her government’s knowledge – was revealed in a BBC report.
Bertie Patel is very close to the occupation and during her tenure as Minister for International Development in May’s government in 2017, she helped freeze about a third of British aid to the Palestinians while recommending financial aid to hospitals run by the occupation army.
– The announcement of its intention came from the United States of America and not from London, which indicates its identification with the lobbyists that work in favor of the occupation.
– Attempts by the British government to oppose European policy after leaving the European Union, Several European countries have already announced their readiness to open a direct or indirect dialogue with Hamas after the recent battle of the Sword of Jerusalem.
• It is also noticeable that this announcement comes at a time when the momentum of support for the Palestinian cause in the West is increasing at an unprecedented rate. This alarms the occupation, which seeks to achieve moral and semi-imaginary victories to reinforce its shaky image.
• Hamas has no relations with Britain, and therefore the decision will not practically change the nature of the relationship between the two sides. However, it will isolate Britain from any contacts or negotiations that may take place between the parties in the region by being completely biased in favor of the occupation.
• All Palestinian factions and forces rejected the decision of the British Interior Office, The Embassy of Palestine in the United Kingdom announced its condemnation of the decision – despite the silence of the PA and the editorial organization on the decision.
• The spokesman for the UN Secretary-General also announced that the United Nations “will continue to deal with the existing authorities in the Gaza Strip.”
• It is necessary to make it clear that the decision is political par excellence, The British government, despite all the documented crimes of the Houthis, did not classify them as a terrorist group despite its strong relations with Saudi Arabia.
• It should also be recalled that Hamas affirms on every occasion that its scope of action is inside occupied Palestine and that it is not interested in any “operations” outside the borders of Palestine. It has not been recorded to carry out any “operations” outside the borders of Palestine. That is, the British minister’s justification for her decision to protect the “Jewish community” is questionable.
