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Britain Bans Hamas as Terrorist Organization

Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks during a news conference about the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain January 21, 2021. Matt Dunham/Pool via REUTERS
Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks during a news conference about the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain January 21, 2021. Matt Dunham/Pool via REUTERS
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Britain Bans Hamas as Terrorist Organization

Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks during a news conference about the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain January 21, 2021. Matt Dunham/Pool via REUTERS
Britain's Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks during a news conference about the ongoing situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, inside 10 Downing Street, in London, Britain January 21, 2021. Matt Dunham/Pool via REUTERS

Britain's interior minister Priti Patel on Friday said she had banned the Palestinian group Hamas in a move that brings the UK's stance on Gaza's rulers in line with the United States and the European Union.

"Hamas has significant terrorist capability, including access to extensive and sophisticated weaponry, as well as terrorist training facilities," Patel said in a statement.

"That is why today I have acted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety."

The organization will be banned under the Terrorism Act and that anyone expressing support for Hamas, flying its flag or arranging meetings for the organization would be in breach of the law, the interior ministry confirmed. Patel is expected to present the change to parliament next week.

Hamas has political and military wings. Founded in 1987, it opposes the existence of Israel and peace talks, instead advocating "armed resistance" against Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Until now Britain had banned only its military arm - the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Hamas political official Sami Abu Zuhri said Britain's move showed "absolute bias toward the Israeli occupation and is a submission to Israeli blackmail and dictations."

"Resisting occupation by all available means, including armed resistance, is a right granted to people under occupation as stated by the international law," said Hamas in a separate statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett welcomed the decision, saying in a Twitter post: "Hamas is a terrorist organization, simply put. The 'political arm' enables its military activity."

Hamas and Israel clashed most recently in a deadly 11-day conflict in May.

'Strengthening ties'

Interior minister Patel was forced to resign as Britain's international development secretary in 2017 after she failed to disclose meetings with senior Israeli officials during a private holiday to the country, including then-opposition leader Yair Lapid.

Lapid, now Israel's foreign minister, hailed the decision on Hamas as "part of strengthening ties with Britain."

Hamas is on the US list of designated foreign terrorist organizations. The European Union also deems it a terrorist movement.

Based in Gaza, Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, defeating its nationalist rival Fatah. It seized military control of Gaza the following year.

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Arab World

Syria Restructures Security Authority in Response to Pressure

12 July 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the inaugural session of Syria's newly formed People's Assembly in Damascus. (Syrian Presidency)
12 July 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the inaugural session of Syria's newly formed People's Assembly in Damascus. (Syrian Presidency)
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Syria Restructures Security Authority in Response to Pressure

12 July 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the inaugural session of Syria's newly formed People's Assembly in Damascus. (Syrian Presidency)
12 July 2026, Syria, Damascus: Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attends the inaugural session of Syria's newly formed People's Assembly in Damascus. (Syrian Presidency)

A sweeping round of senior security appointments announced Sunday by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa amounts to a fundamental restructuring of the country’s security apparatus, driven by both domestic security concerns and mounting political and economic pressure from abroad, according to Syrian security and strategic affairs analyst Ismat al-Absi.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, al-Absi said the appointments reflect a clear effort to consolidate security authority in the hands of al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab by placing both Public Security, including policing and internal security, and National Security under a single command.

The move effectively ends the institutional divide and potential rivalry between the Interior Ministry and the intelligence services, making Khattab the sole authority overseeing both strategic and operational security decision-making, al-Absi said.

Hussein al-Salama will assume an executive role reporting directly to Khattab on national security affairs, while the General Intelligence Directorate will be headed by Abdul Qader Tahan within the unified structure.

Al-Absi said the appointments also mark a broader institutional overhaul, noting that the changes are intended to bring the transitional phase to a close by establishing a unified centralized security structure after concerns over overlapping authorities among agencies with different backgrounds, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

According to al-Absi, the immediate catalysts were recent security pressures, including bombings in Damascus and the interception of weapons allegedly being smuggled from Iraq to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

He said the attacks and the foiled smuggling operations exposed gaps in interagency coordination, border security, and urban surveillance.

The Damascus bombings occurred during French President Emmanuel Macron’s July 6-7 visit - the first by a major Western head of state since al-Sharaa took office in late 2024 - when two explosive devices detonated a few hundred meters from the Four Seasons Hotel, where Macron was staying.

Syrian authorities later announced the arrest of the cell responsible, with preliminary investigations indicating it was affiliated with ISIS.

Economic researcher Firas Shaabo said the security restructuring is also intended to create a safe and stable environment for investment.

He explained that unifying the country’s top security leadership would reduce institutional fragmentation and strengthen coordination, making the changes an integral part of Syria’s broader economic vision.

Given the National Security Office broad oversight powers, the restructuring could reinforce stability, remove obstacles to development and reconstruction, attract foreign investment, stimulate the domestic economy, and reassure the international community and regional partners of the state’s ability to maintain internal stability, he added.

Arab World

Al-Zaidi Hails Washington Visit as Iran Distances Itself from Criticism

President Donald Trump, gestures as he greets Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
President Donald Trump, gestures as he greets Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
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Al-Zaidi Hails Washington Visit as Iran Distances Itself from Criticism

President Donald Trump, gestures as he greets Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP)
President Donald Trump, gestures as he greets Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Washington. (AP)

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi praised the outcome of his Washington visit amid broad public support but political divisions at home. Iran, meanwhile, officially distanced itself from critical remarks of the visit made by Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to its supreme leader.

Velayati had described al-Zaidi as “inexperienced” and also slammed the timing of the visit as it took place shortly after the days-long funeral of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the beginning of the US-Israel war on Iran.

Tehran sought to distance itself from his comments with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informing his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein on Sunday that bilateral ties should not be affected by “personal and unofficial” remarks.

He described Iranian-Iraqi ties as deep-rooted and strategic, underpinned by historical, cultural and religious ties and shared interests.

Concluding his five-day US trip, al-Zaidi thanked President Donald Trump’s administration and the American people for their warm reception.

“Our government remains determined to translate the strategic economic partnership between the two friendly countries into reality,” he wrote on X, citing the agreements and memorandums of understanding signed during the visit.

He said they could usher in a new phase of bilateral relations based on shared interests, while strengthening coordination to promote stability and prosperity in Iraq and the wider region.

Iraq and the United States signed 48 agreements during the visit that require parliamentary approval. Memorandums of understanding signed alongside them can take effect without ratification.

Opponents of the visit, particularly Iran-aligned armed factions, viewed the outcome with suspicion. They fear that implementing even some of the deals could elevate Baghdad’s relationship with Washington, while diminishing cooperation with Tehran, particularly following an agreement between Iraq’s central bank and the US Treasury aimed at curbing the smuggling of funds to Iran.

Al-Zaidi described the banking agreement as an important step toward reforming the financial sector and integrating it into the global system.

He said seven Iraqi banks had been cleared to resume foreign correspondent banking in currencies other than the dollar, paving the way for restoring their eligibility to conduct US dollar transactions once compliance and governance requirements are met.

Abdulrahman al-Jubouri, head of the Academy for Political Development and Good Governance, told Asharq Al-Awsat implementing the visit’s agenda would signal that Iraq had abandoned its traditional balanced policy in favor of closer alignment with the West.

Talib Mohammed Karim, a professor of political thought at Mustansiriyah University, was more cautious. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he said it was too early to speak of a fundamental shift in Iraqi-US relations, but the visit represented an attempt to “redefine” them by moving beyond security and military issues toward economic, investment and energy cooperation.

Arab World

Iraqi PM to Visit Tehran This Week

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 14 July 2026. (EPA)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 14 July 2026. (EPA)
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Iraqi PM to Visit Tehran This Week

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 14 July 2026. (EPA)
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attends a meeting with US President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 14 July 2026. (EPA)

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will visit Tehran ‌within ‌the coming ‌week, ⁠the Iraqi state ⁠news agency reported on ⁠Sunday.

During ‌the visit, ‌the prime minister will ‌sign memoranda of ⁠understanding in ⁠Tehran in areas of cooperation.

Al-Zaidi had visited the United States earlier this week where he met with President Donald Trump.

Trump praised the new PM, saying the US is “going to have a long-term relationship with Iraq. We're going to have a long-term relationship with a man that will be a great leader.”

“It's a great honor to have the Prime Minister of Iraq with us. He's been a great fighter, and he's been a great fan of America,” he went on to say.

Iraq signed 48 agreements and partnerships with American companies, many in the oil sector, during al-Zaidi's visit.

Al-Zaidi, a businessman, came to power this year with US blessing after Trump vetoed another candidate.

He has vowed to boost Iraq's fragile economy and disarm pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq that have targeted US facilities.

Iraq has long walked a tightrope between the competing influences of allies the United States and neighboring Iran.