Scotfella: Israel won't act to shut down Hamas' London branch?

Friday 14 January 2011

Israel won't act to shut down Hamas' London branch?

Although Defense Minister Ehud Barak has declared the
Palestine Return Centre illegal in Israel, the government has yet to formally request from the British government that it shut down this organization, which is acting as Hamas' London branch. Now,Britain's Foreign Officehas asked Israel to make that request. Will it?

In the order, Israel said the PRC was closely affiliated with Hamas and involved in “initiating and organizing violent activity against Israel in Europe while delegitimizing Israel’s status as a nation among the European community.”

“The Israeli government has not raised with the Foreign Office any concerns regarding the Palestinian Returns Centre,” a spokesman told the Post.

The Foreign Office said that if the government of Israel were to bring up the issue with Britain, it would certainly investigate.

“If they [Israel] were to raise their concerns or pass any evidence to us of illegal activity, we would of course look into the issue, working with the relevant authorities in the UK,” it said.

Israel also said that among other terror-related activities, the PRC organizes many conferences in various European countries for Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood activists from around the world, along with active members of the center.

According to Israel, “the participants mostly include Hamas fundraising representatives in Europe, and even representatives of the Hamas organization from the Gaza Strip. The PRC officially declares its sole mission as being a means of promoting the issue of Palestinian refugees.

However in reality, the center functions as Hamas’s organizational branch in Europe and its members are senior Hamas leaders who promote the movement’s agenda in Europe, and directly interact with various Hamas leaders, particularly from Damascus.”

Read the whole thing.

Why is the government not taking action? Are they afraid the Brits won't investigate, won't shut it down or won't agree with Israel's assessment? Or are they just trying not to offend Hamas? Either way, we should take advantage of the opportunity to shut this group down.