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Banning Hamas won’t help resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict

Patel let it be known that in the wake of this move, support for the Palestinian Islamist movement would be considered a criminal offence and punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Given the Conservative government’s majority in parliament, it seems certain to become law by the end of November.
It was not actually that surprising. Previously the British position had been to formally distinguish between Hamas’s military wing – the Izz-al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which was outlawed in 2001 – and the political movement which rules the Gaza Strip. Successive Israeli governments had long lobbied the UK, along with the US, to change its position and realign itself with Washington and Brussels, headquarters of the European Union.
Over the years that “artificial” distinction, as Patel expressed it, came to be seen as meaningless. In its dealings with the Palestinians, the UK government presented itself as unwilling to talk directly to the political leaders of Hamas (the Arabic name means the Islamic Resistance Movement) preferring to deal solely with the Fatah-majority Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) led by Mahmoud Abbas in line with its pursuit of the Oslo Accords peace process.
That approach made sense, in that the PLO had recognized the state of Israel back in September 1993 when the Accords were signed by Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin. Israel, for its part, recognised the PLO as the “sole representative of the Palestinians.” Hamas, which was created in 1987, refused to do the same but signalled that it would still accept a de facto reality. The situation became more complicated when Israel, under Ariel Sharon, unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005 and Hamas took over from the PA two years later.
Over the years since there have been four all-out wars between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip as well as countless violent incidents – the last one being the 11-day flare-up in May 2021, which was provoked by tensions involving the planned eviction of Palestinians from the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah by Israeli settlers.
Patel characterised Hamas as “rabidly anti-Semitic”, fuelling the position that any criticism of or hostility to Israel constitutes anti-Jewish racism. The UK home secretary said recently that when pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered peacefully outside a university gathering addressed by the Israel ambassador to London, that again was an expression of what she called “anti-Semitism.”
This is also an extremely divisive issue in British politics. Jeremy Corbyn, the previous leader of the Labour opposition, was regularly accused of being a leftist and an anti-Semite especially when he referred to his Hamas “friends”. Tony Blair, Labour’s decade-long prime minister, and the former Quartet Middle East envoy, generated headlines when he revealed that he had conducted talks with Khaled Meshaal, the Qatar-based Hamas political leader.
Blair also admitted that he and other world leaders had been wrong to give in to Israeli pressure to boycott Hamas after its election victory in 2006. "In retrospect, I think we should have, right at the very beginning, tried to pull
Israel was delighted at Boris Johnson’s government change of heart. Israeli media revealed that Naftali Bennett, the prime minister, had raised the issue when the two leaders met at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.
Hamas was understandably furious at the British change of direction. As was Iran, a keen supporter of both Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah. More surprisingly the British decision was condemned by the Palestine Mission in London (the UK representative of the PA) describing it as "a retrograde step that will make peace-making harder and diminish the UK’s role."
It added that the British government has "complicated Palestinian unity efforts and undermined Palestinian democracy" and that it will "do nothing for efforts to secure a peaceful two-state outcome, an outcome that is being undermined every day by Israeli war crimes, including its illegal colonial settlement project in occupied territory.”
The international ban on official contacts with Hamas has already diminished western leverage in the region, increased the isolation and suffering of the Gaza public, and helped to drive the Islamist group into the arms of Tehran – all without in any way dislodging it from its dominance of the coastal enclave.
Looking at the big picture of resolving this most intractable of conflicts, the UK decision will have little positive effect unless the international community collectively decides to devote more effort to obtaining justice for both Palestinians and Israelis. Neither side is going to disappear any time soon.

BY: IAN BLACK
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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