A British tendency to classify Hamas on the terrorist list, and Israel considers it a diplomatic victory

Media reports said that British Home Secretary Priti Patel will present a bill to Parliament next week that classifies the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) as a "terrorist" organization and bans it in the United Kingdom because of its anti-Semitism, which Israel immediately welcomed.

And the British newspaper, The Guardian, published excerpts from a speech that the minister is expected to deliver today, Friday, on security, in which it will come that this step will make Jews feel more safe in Britain, and that it comes in the context of addressing anti-Semitism.

The British newspaper "The Times" also reported the news, and said that Patel spoke to reporters in Washington last night about the difficulty of separating the military wing (Al-Qassam Brigades) from the political wing of Hamas, adding that the bill is based on a wide range of intelligence and links with "" terrorism".

Israeli welcome

Immediately, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a tweet on Twitter that Hamas is a terrorist organization, and that the political wing is the one who enables the work of the military wing, considering that "talking about the terrorists themselves, but with an official allowance."

In another tweet, he said, "Thank you to my friend Boris Johnson for spearheading this thread."

Hamas is a radical Islamic group that targets innocent Israelis & seeks Israel's destruction.

I welcome the UK's intention to declare Hamas a terrorist organization in its entirety — because that's exactly what it is.

Thank you to my friend @BorisJohnson for your leadership.

— Naftali Bennett בנט (@naftalibennett) November 19, 2021

In turn, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid welcomed the British move, and said in a tweet that it is an achievement of Israeli foreign policy and the fruit of efforts made by the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, explaining that it came after a dialogue and political effort as part of strengthening the bonds of friendship with Britain.

Lapid thanked the British Home Secretary and the entire government, describing the decision as important and giving the British security arms additional tools to prevent the growth of the "terrorist" Hamas movement.

And Lapid saw that there is no legitimate part and part illegal in Hamas.

Prohibited forms of support

And the Times newspaper reported in a

that under the draft law, supporters of Hamas will face a prison sentence of up to 10 years, and those who express their support for it will be sentenced to violating the British Terrorism Act 2000.

According to the Times, the support includes flying the Hamas flag or arranging to meet its members and wearing clothes seen as supporting the movement.

Patel, who will make the announcement in a speech on security in Washington later Friday, called the move vital to protecting the Jewish community.

The Times said Patel is expected to say Hamas is "essentially and frantic" anti-Semitism, that anti-Semitism is a perpetual evil that Jews routinely feel unsafe in school, on the streets, in places of worship, in their homes and on the Internet, and that the move would strengthen the case against anyone who wavers. With the flag of "Hamas" in the UK, an act that would make the Jewish people feel insecure.

confiscation and imprisonment

The Times indicated that this step would put Britain on the side of its closest ally, as Hamas was previously classified as a "terrorist" organization banned by the United States and the European Union, which means that its assets can be seized and its members imprisoned.

And this move will force, as the Times says, the British Labor Party to take an official position on Hamas when the project is presented to Parliament.

Under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in February 2019, Labor MPs were allowed to block a similar proposal to ban all wings of Lebanese Hezbollah.

labor Party

In a speech to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Corbyn described members of Hamas and Hezbollah as "friends."

And in 2016, after a year of leading the party for five years, he said he regretted using the term.

Corbyn, 72, met with Hamas activists, including Abdel Aziz Omar, who was imprisoned by Israel for helping to make suicide vests.

Claudia Mendoza, co-CEO of the UK Jewish Leadership Council, said Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel, adding, "The myth that Hamas has separate military and political wings has finally dissipated, and we welcome this bold and important move by the government."