A man branded by a Labour MP as a “senior Hamas operative” has been leading major pro-Palestine protests across London — all while living openly in the capital, Parliament has revealed.
Who’s Zaher Birawi?
Zaher Birawi, 64, hailing from the West Bank, is no ordinary activist. He chairs the Palestine Forum in Britain and presents on an Arabic-language TV station based in London. His organisation is part of the Palestine Coalition, which reportedly organised over 20 rallies in central London throughout 2025.
Labour’s Christian Wakeford used parliamentary privilege in October 2023 to expose Birawi as a “senior Hamas operative.” Israel has made similar claims about Birawi’s ties to the proscribed terrorist group.
“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,” Wakeford warned.
Birawi has fiercely denied these accusations, calling them “unfounded.” He also opposed the UK’s decision to ban Hamas, arguing it cuts out “an essential section of the Palestinian community from the peace process.”
Links to Hamas Leadership
The 64-year-old was snapped in Gaza in 2012 alongside Ismail Haniyeh, the late Hamas leader who died in Tehran last year. He shared a picture marking Hamas’s 25th anniversary that also featured a Qassam rocket — a chilling symbol of the group’s militant wing.
At a Palestine Festival in London last November, Birawi told The Times: “The essence of the battle is not decided in the corridors of biased politics, but in the resilience of men and women who refuse to be broken. Rights are seized, not begged for. The homeland will not be retrieved by waiting.”
Other Alleged Hamas Ties in UK Activism
Christian Wakeford also named another alleged operative, Ziad El Aloul, former chairman of the Palestine Forum in Britain. Records show El Aloul held a director position with the group in 2015.
El Aloul has been pictured leading London marches alongside former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. He posted footage on October 7 celebrating the Hamas attack on Israel “by land, air and sea,” along with videos of militants inside Israeli communities.
Meanwhile, Adnan Hmidan, current vice-chairman of the Palestine Forum in Britain, reportedly called the October 7 Hamas attacks a “normal situation.” He posted a photograph of Hamas founder Ahmed Yassin with the caption: “I love this man.”
National Security Concerns
The Palestine Coalition—made up of the Palestine Forum in Britain and five other groups—has been behind a wave of protests in London in 2025. These latest revelations raise serious questions about whether individuals linked to proscribed terrorist organisations are at the helm of these demonstrations.
The UK proscribed Hamas completely back in November 2021. Yet accused operatives continue to openly organise large-scale rallies on British soil.
