The British government said Friday that it intends to ban the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a terrorist organization, saying it will no longer differentiate between the group’s political and military wings. The Abandoned Village - Sand Invasion 00:00 Previous PlayNext 00:04 / 00:46 Unmute Fullscreen Copy video url Play / Pause Mute / Unmute Report a problem Language Mox Player The military arm of Hamas has been outlawed in the U.K. since 2001 but the organization as a whole is not proscribed. Home Secretary Priti Patel, who is in charge of law and order issues, said on Twitter that she had “acted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.” She said the group “has significant terrorist capability, including access to extensive and sophisticated weaponry, as well as terrorist training facilities.” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted that the move “will help tackle the scourge of antisemitism.” A ban, which must be approved by Parliament, would make it illegal in Britain to be a member of Hamas or to express support for the group, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. The government said it hoped the banning order would be approved by Parliament within the week and take effect Nov. 26. Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union. — Agencies