Germany to ban public support for Hamas

The German government is instituting a ban on public support for the Hamas terror group.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced the restrictions on Thursday, saying they would also apply to the Hamas-supporting Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network.

On Oct. 7, Samidoun was seen celebrating the attack on southern Israel by handing out pastries and other confections to the public in Berlin. This form of celebration has been a common occurrence after successful attacks on Israel in previous years.

“Holding spontaneous ‘jubilant celebrations’ here in Germany in response to Hamas’s terrible terrorist attacks against Israel demonstrates Samidoun’s antisemitic, inhuman worldview in a particularly sickening way,” Faeser declared.

Germany’s police union praised the new regulations and added that the decision will make it easier for them to prohibit other individuals from promoting anti-Israel violence.

Hamas as an organization has already been outlawed in Germany, and the new rules will empower law enforcement officials to criminalize the dissemination of their jihadist propaganda and allow for the asset forfeiture of their supporters.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller welcomed “Germany’s decision to ban activities supporting Hamas, which builds on the E.U.’s designation to fully restrict and criminalize support of the terrorist group.”