Hamas on Sunday announced plans to take legal action against the British government over its decision to designate the Islamist group as a terrorist organization.
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The UK outlawed Hamas' military wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades in 2001. On Nov. 19, London's parliament voted to outlaw Hamas as a whole.
In doing so, Britain joined a host of other countries that have already labeled Gaza's rulers a terrorist group, including Israel, the United States, Canada, Japan, the European Union, and Egypt.
Arab media cited senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk as saying that the group is "actively working on a strategy with British lawyers for the cancellation of the decision."
Marzouk also urged the Fatah movement to reconcile "on the basis of the interests of the Palestinian public, partnership and resistance. … causing division in Palestine would not serve the interests of Hamas."
The Fatah-led Palestinian Authority ruled the West Bank and the Gaza Strip until 2007, when Hamas, ousted PA President Mahmoud Abbas' government from the coastal enclave in a military coup, effectively splitting the Palestinian territories into two political entities.
So far, the efforts made over the past decade to promote a reconciliation between the rival Palestinian factions – headed mostly by Egypt – have failed.
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