Palestinian Hamas to be banned by Britain

LONDON – British Home Secretary Priti Patel confirmed that she had taken measures to fully ban the Palestinian movement Hamas in the United Kingdom. Patel stated, via Twitter, that Hamas has concrete terrorist capabilities, including access to an advanced arsenal of weapons and terrorist training facilities: “That is why today I have acted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety,” she added. In its entirety means here that the UK will now also ban the political wing of Hamas after it already proscribed its military wing. 

After this decision, which still needs to be approved by the British Parliament, anyone found to be a member of Hamas or proven to provide support can face a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett welcomed the British Home efforts to include Hamas, with its political and military wings, on the terrorism list. Bennett declared, also via Twitter, that Hamas is a terrorist organization and its political arm supports illegal military action. Bennett thanked the British Home Secretary and Prime Minister Boris Johnson for their efforts to ban Hamas.

With this step, Britain follows in the footsteps of the United States and the European Union in classifying Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Today I have taken action to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.

This government is committed to tackling extremism and terrorism wherever it occurs. pic.twitter.com/TQfPzomyIm

— Priti Patel (@pritipatel) November 19, 2021