‘Hamas operative’ behind Thunberg’s Gaza aid ship
Zaher Birawi, who describes himself as a ‘founding member’ of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has been linked to the militant group by Israel and a UK MP.
A man accused in the UK and Israel of being a “Hamas operative” is one of the organisers behind Greta Thunberg’s aid ship that failed to reach Gaza this week.
Zaher Birawi, who describes himself as a “founding member” of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which planned the voyage of the Madleen from Sicily to Gaza, has denied any links to the militant group.
Birawi, 63, a pro-Palestinian campaigner, says he has been awarded compensation over similar claims.
The Palestinian-British journalist live-streamed the launch of the Madleen before it set sail from Sicily carrying what Israel has mocked as a “tiny amount” of humanitarian aid.
On Monday, the Israeli navy boarded the Madleen as it neared Gaza, and towed it to the Israeli port of Ashdod, where Ms Thunberg and her fellow activists were detained ahead of their deportation.
In a Facebook post about the boat’s seizure Birawi, who has not been named as being on the Madleen, wrote: “In a piracy operation in international waters and 150 nautical miles from Palestinian waters, the Israeli navy took control of the ship Madleen and abducted the allies on board. The Freedom Flag Alliance demands international intervention to ensure their safety and release.”
The UK Telegraph reports that, in 2013, Birawi was named by Israel as a Hamas operative in Europe, and is the head of the Europal Forum, which Israel designated as a terrorist organisation in 2021.
The Europal Forum has strongly denied any terror links, and in 2021 Birawi received compensation after suing a financial database he said had wrongly placed him on a terrorism watch list, according to The Telegraph and The Times in London.
In 2023, British Labour MP Christian Wakeford, used parliamentary privilege to accuse Birawi of being one of four alleged “Hamas operatives”. He used special parliamentary protections to protect him from being sued to allege that Birawi was a security risk.
“Birawi … was designated by Israel in 2013 as a senior Hamas operative in Europe … a publicly available video shows him hosting a 2019 event in London titled ‘Understanding Hamas’,” Mr Wakeford said.
Hamas has been proscribed as a terror group in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000 since 2021.
Birawi denies belonging to Hamas. In 2023, he said: “I am a law-abiding British citizen of Palestinian origin who carries out his obligations as an activist defending the national and human rights of Palestinians who survive under occupation,” the London Times reports.
Accusing Mr Wakeford of making baseless claims, he said the MP was attempting to “besmirch my character and potentially, to rationalise any harm that may befall me or my family.”
The Sun on Sunday said in 2023 that he had been photographed with Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political leader, before Haniyeh’s assassination last year aged 61.
After the Madleen docked in Ashdod, Israel asked Ms Thunberg and her fellow activists to view a video of the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 2023, but according to Defence Minister Israel Katz, the group refused to watch the film when they were told what it was about.
Slamming their decision, Mr Katz said: “The antisemitic flotilla members are turning a blind eye to the truth and have proven once again that they prefer the murderers to the murdered and continue to ignore the atrocities committed by Hamas against Jewish and Israeli women, adults, and children.”
To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register
Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout