THE PALESTINIAN organisation that governs Gaza, Hamas, announced on Sunday that it will take legal action against the United Kingdom, which recently listed it as a ‘terrorist organisation’.
Speaking at an online conference held by the Centre for Palestinian Refugee Studies, Hamas Political Bureau Chief Mousa Abu Marzouk said the group is actively working with various insitiutions, organisations and British lawyers for the cancellation of the decision.
He stressed that causing division in Palestine would not serve the interests of Hamas, and the movement will protect its homeland and the resistance.
Marzouk also urged the Palestinian administration and the Fatah movement to reconcile on the basis of Palestinians’ interests, partnership and resistance.
The UK government’s Home Office declared in a statement that Hamas had been added to a list of banned ‘terrorist organisations’ after legislation was approved by Parliament on November 19.
The amendment to the Terrorism Act 2000 passed through the House of Commons last Wednesday afternoon following a debate without a vote!
MPs have to object to a motion in order for it to be put to a vote.
So it went straight to the House of Lords on Thursday and by Friday came into effect in law.
Home Secretary Priti Patel in a statement said members of Hamas or those who support it could be sentenced to up to 14 years in prison.
Previously, only the military wing of Hamas, Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was outlawed under the UK Terrorism Act of 2001.
Patel was forced to step down from her position in November 2017 as Britain’s then International Development Secretary after she failed to report secret meetings with top Israeli officials during a private holiday to Israel.
But Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson brought her back into the cabinet in July 2019.
Patel said in a statement: ‘Hamas has the significant terrorist capability, including access to extensive and sophisticated weaponry, as well as terrorist training facilities, That is why today I have acted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.’
After Israel’s 11-day war on the people of Palestine last May, a 250,000-strong march took place through London.
At the rally following the march Kevin Courtney, leader of the National Education Union, said that he was representing 15 unions.
He told the rally that the unions were in solidarity with the general strike in Palestine and that ‘we need to take similar action for Palestine here.’
Dave Wiltshire, Secretary of the All Trades Unions Alliance, said: ‘Now is the time for the unions to take strike action to reverse this outrageous decision.
‘Hamas is the legitimate government of Gaza. The unions must take strike action now and kick this government out!’
- Tory Foreign Secretary Liz Truss told a joint press briefing, held alongside Israel’s foreign affairs minister Yair Lapid yesterday, that Britain will ‘work flat out to prevent the Iranian regime from gaining nuclear weapons’ and that ‘all options are on the table’ if the discussions fail.
It came as talks to resuscitate the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal, meant to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, began in the Austrian capital Vienna.
Truss said: ‘We have seen the Iranians extending their capability towards acquisition of a nuclear weapon, so, as far as I’m concerned, these talks are the last opportunity for the Iranians to come to the table and agree the JCPOA agreement.
