The Campaign Against Antisemitism recently wrote to all members of the British Parliament, urging them to ask Home Secretary Priti Patel to ban the terrorist group Hamas in its entirety from the United Kingdom.
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Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, Canada, Japan, the European Union, and Egypt. Other countries recognize only its military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades as a terrorist group, allowing Hamas' political wing to operate on their soil. The UK subscribes to the latter.
CAA explained that until now, the UK has relied on the European Union's proscription of Hamas in its entirety as a "de facto ban." However, following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union last year, it must now enforce into British law its own ban regarding Hamas, said CAA.
"Because of this loophole, Hamas flags can be flown, its ideology can be promoted, funds can be raised, material can be disseminated, and its representatives can operate in the UK," the organization stated.
A CAA spokesperson added: "It is intolerable that Hamas representatives and supporters can operate in the UK on the pretense that they only back the group's supposed 'political wing.' There is no distinction between the units of this Islamist, anti-Semitic, misogynistic and homophobic terrorist organization. Support for Hamas is tied to the recent surge in anti-Jewish racism on British streets. The home secretary must move to protect British Jews by banning Hamas in its entirety."
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In a CAA poll conducted last year, 91 percent of British Jews said they wanted the government to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.
The United Kingdom blacklisted Hezbollah in 2019.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
