NS**The British government, with effect from today, has declared Hamas, the Palestinian political establishment governing in the Gaza Strip. “terrorist organization“ Announced.**
Britain had included only the armed wing of Hamas, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, in its previous assessments.
British Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced that Hamas is now defined as a “terrorist organization” in its entirety.
“Hamas organizes, participates in, prepares and promotes acts of terrorism. If we tolerate extremism, it will undermine security,” Patel said.
The number of groups declared “terrorist organizations” by the UK along with Hamas rose to 78.
Hamas was previously declared a “terrorist organization” by many world countries, especially the European Union and the USA.
The fact that all Hamas is covered by the Conservative Party government makes it a crime in the UK to be a member of the organization, to call for support or to use the symbols of the organization, even to wear clothes.
In the UK, those tried and found guilty of these crimes can face up to 14 years in prison and/or fines.
What is he accused of?
Hamas, which took control of the Gaza Strip in 2006, has since been held responsible for periodic rocket attacks from the region to the country.
Human rights organizations accuse Israel of carrying out airstrikes on civilian areas of Gaza, and Hamas of carrying out rocket attacks targeting civilians.
Reaction from Hamas: Attackers are supported
In its statement on the decision, Hamas accused the UK of “supporting the aggressors with a decision to the detriment of the victims”.
Israel welcomed the decision.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said, “No branch of a terrorist organization can be legitimate and this is an artificial distinction.”
Analysis by BBC Diplomatic Correspondent James Landale
The recognition of Hamas as a terrorist organization can be seen as the end point of a diplomatic process. With this step, the UK has adopted the same line with the European Union and the USA.
Britain had followed a policy of “not contacting” the political wing of Hamas for a long time. Now the outlawing of the movement is a continuation of this process.
Most of the needed contacts, especially humanitarian aid to Gaza, have been made through international institutions such as the United Nations and its affiliates.
Therefore, it seems that Britain’s declaring Hamas a terrorist organization will not make any difference in relations with this region. But it is necessary to see the decision more from the perspective of British domestic politics.
Israel has been pressing for this decision for some time, and the decision being taken at this time essentially points to the depth of relations between Israel and the Conservative Party in the UK government.
This change also gives new political material to Conservative Party lawmakers and those who are on the left of the Labor Party and who have argued that contact with Hamas is legitimate in the past.