This week, Switzerland’s Federal Council said it wants to ban the Islamist Palestinian organisation Hamas for a period of five years, reported RTS.
The Federal Council sent a draft bill for a ban for consultation. The ban also includes affiliated and successor organisations to Hamas, as well as organisations and groups that act on behalf of or in the name of Hamas.
In addition, the wording deems organisations and groups that are particularly close to Hamas and agree with it in terms of objectives, leadership or means, as terrorist organisations. Part of the aim of the ban is to create legal certainty, create a preventative effect and reduce the risk that Hamas and organisations related to it will use Switzerland as a haven. In addition, law enforcement authorities would be able to more easily issue entry bans or expulsions and fight against terrorist financing.
The plan, which will be discussed until 28 May 2024, would allow acts of support for Hamas to be punished with up to ten years in prison and to imprison people who have significant influence in the organisation for up to 20 years.
According to Federal Councilor Beat Jans, the ban would not affect freedom of expression. It would still be possible to stand up for Palestinians and Israelis, for example at demonstrations. However, supporting Hamas would be forbidden.
Such bans on supporting Hamas stand in strong contrast to the views of a majority of people responding to a poll in Gaza and the West Bank conducted in October and November 2023 run by Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD). In the poll, 76% of those surveyed viewed the role of Hamas as very positive (48.2%) or somewhat positive (27.8%) – Table 29. In another by the Washington Institute, 57% of Gazans expressed at least a somewhat positive opinion of Hamas.
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RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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