The campaign against Zaher Birawi is a textbook example of how intelligence tactics are used to discredit effective Palestinian advocates. Any international figure who gains real traction speaking up for Palestinian rights tends to come under intense scrutiny. If Israel genuinely had solid evidence linking someone like Birawi to Hamas or any banned group, they would share it with allies and we’d see arrests, charges, deportations. But that hasn’t happened.
Instead, when there’s no hard evidence and to avoid defamation claims the next tactic is often to get an MP to make the allegation in Parliament. Under parliamentary privilege, they can say whatever they like without needing to prove it. Once it’s said in the Commons, the media is free to report it, no matter how flimsy the source. The claim gains momentum as one outlet quotes another, and suddenly the allegation feels more credible just by repetition.
In Birawi’s case, NatWest closed his account over supposed terrorism links. But they later had to reverse that decision and pay compensation. If there had been anything substantial behind the claim, that wouldn’t have happened. The fact they backtracked so publicly speaks volumes about the weakness of the original allegation—and the damage that can be done by unproven smears.
hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-10-26/debates/22ECC056-E236-41BA-95D5-84411C5098FF/details
On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I provided advance notice of it to Mr Speaker earlier.
A few days ago, The Sunday Times reported on its front page that a “Hamas fugitive” who
“‘ran the group’s terrorist operations in the West Bank’”
lives here in London. Muhammad Qassem Sawalha is designated by Israel as a senior Hamas operative in Europe and accused of fleeing the country with fake documents. He is now believed to hold UK citizenship. Zaher Birawi lives in Barnet not far from Sawalha. He was designated by Israel in 2013 as a senior Hamas operative in Europe. He is listed as a trustee of a UK registered charity, Education Aid for Palestinians. A publicly available video shows him hosting a 2019 event in London titled “Understanding Hamas”.
Two weeks ago, Hamas launched the deadliest terror attack the world has seen since 9/11. This House rightly voted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety in November 2021. It is therefore a serious national security risk for Hamas operatives to be living here in London, especially where at least one appears to have done so through the use of fake documents in obtaining British citizenship.
Madam Deputy Speaker, can you advise me on how I might raise this with the Government as a matter of great urgency and ask if you have had any indication of a Minister seeking to come to the House to provide an urgent update on this matter?