Hebrew Website: This Is How Britain's Ban on 'Hamas' Affects Its Activities Around the World
Hebrew media celebrated Britain's designation of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) as a "terrorist organization," despite its objection to the "delay in this decision."
The Hebrew website Arab Export indicated that Britain's announcement (on November 19, 2021) designating Hamas a terrorist organization came "too late," but as it was said, "better late than never."
It continued, "This is a very encouraging step, as the British decision is based on a lot of local intelligence and also from Israeli intelligence."
Britain has joined countries such as the United States of America, Canada, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, which have already declared Hamas a terrorist organization, according to its claim.
The site noted that the British move also comes after "Israel" classified 6 Palestinian civil organizations as "terrorists" in last October, claiming that they are affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
It said: "The Popular Front Organization officially belongs to the Palestine Liberation Organization, but it calls for the destruction of Israel, and it has close relations with Hamas. The last meeting took place between them to increase cooperation [end of November]."
Ongoing Allegations
The Hebrew website indicates that this issue preoccupies the media in the Arab world because London is the global center for collecting donations for the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, according to its claim.
It claimed that money flows from Britain to the Gaza Strip to fund the activities of the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and on the other hand, "the money is intended for private investments of the movement's leaders abroad."
According to the site, "high-ranking Hamas figures make billions of dollars in investments in various countries around the world, and a lot of this money comes through London."
In addition to funding the Muslim Brotherhood, the Sudanese authorities revealed in September 2021 the amount of investments made by prominent Hamas figures in the country worth $1.2 billion, which the movement denied.
The site continued its allegations by saying: "There are hundreds of Hamas activists in London working in 3 associations to collect donations, and these funds do not reach the residents of the Gaza Strip, but rather flow directly into the pockets of the movement's leaders."
The site's security analyst, Yoni Ben Menachem, indicated that the Hamas leadership fears that Britain will negatively affect the financial system it established in London after declaring it a "terrorist organization," according to his claim.
He claimed that "tens of billions of dollars are at risk. These are money that was supposed to flow to Hamas leaders to invest in different countries around the world."
According to Ben Menachem, the Hamas leadership's attack on Britain is very sharp, and the movement's anger at the decision is great.
The British decision coincided with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in 1917, which paved the way for the establishment of the so-called "State of Israel," and was a "big victory" for the Zionist movement, according to the analyst.
While the Palestinians have intensified their demands in recent months from Britain to apologize for the Balfour Declaration and recognize an independent state on the 1967 borders, the response came relatively quickly by declaring Hamas a terrorist organization and accusing it of anti-Semitism and threatening the lives of Jews in the United Kingdom, according to London's claim.
The analyst compared Hamas with the Palestine Liberation Organization, which was declared a terrorist organization by the United States and most European countries in the seventies, indicating that the matter here is different.
He continued: "The PLO was allowed to open representations in several countries and conducted secret negotiations with Israel in Oslo in 1993."
He added: "The organization officially recognized Israel and held a party in Oslo in the Gaza Strip with the participation of former US President Bill Clinton and began political talks."
Gift For 'Israel'
The security analyst pointed out that the PLO was forced to abandon the principle of "armed struggle", and the second intifada cost the Palestinians dearly, according to him.
He said, "The current head of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Mahmoud Abbas, learned lessons and called for political negotiations and close security cooperation with Israel."
On the other hand, he continued, "Hamas continues to call for the destruction of Israel, and its 1988 charter, which included anti-Semitic provisions, is still in force, and the movement calls for the establishment of Palestine from the sea to the river."
He added that the British government's decision in this political conflict helps "Israel," and may push other countries to follow the same path and deepen normalization with Arab countries.
He also believes that the British decision "will help counter the Palestinian cases at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which alleges that Israel is committing crimes in the Palestinian territories," as he put it.
He believed that the decision "gives Israel a moral and security justification to launch a major military operation in the Gaza Strip to defend itself against Hamas rocket attacks."
The British announcement also "helps prepare the international public opinion that Israel is fighting a terrorist movement that controls the Gaza Strip and uses it as a shield to launch attacks on Israeli citizens," according to his claim.
The security analyst pointed out that the British decision may embarrass Egypt, which is now trying to reach a long-term truce between Hamas and "Israel."
It also makes it difficult for the PA president to enter into a political partnership with Hamas without changing its positions, the analyst claimed.
He emphasized also that the decision is a reminder to the administration of US President Joe Biden that Hamas "is not ready to moderate, recognize Israel and abandon its course."
