Israel’s Response to Possible Removal of Hamas from Terrorist List
According to a senior advisor at the European Union Court of Justice, the possibility of removing the Palestinian Hamas movement from the EU’s list of terrorist groups has strengthened; statements that were immediately met with notable welcome from Hamas leaders, while Israel expressed “confidence” that Hamas would remain on the list.
According to the French news agency, Eleonore Sharpston, advisor to the EU Court of Justice, said on Thursday, September 1st, that the EU Council made a mistake in its decision fifteen years ago regarding the definition of Hamas as a terrorist entity.
Eleonore Sharpston is introduced as one of ten senior advisors to the EU Court of Justice.
According to this advisor, alongside Hamas, the designation of Sri Lanka’s “Tamil Tigers” movement on the EU terrorist list may also be reconsidered, as the nature of this group has changed and the movement has ceased military activities in the past seven years.
This European Court of Justice advisor said that the definition of Hamas as a terrorist group in 2001 was based on interpretations of media reports.
The European Union, since 2001 in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th against America, placed Hamas on the list of terrorist groups from the perspective of EU member states.
The EU Court of Justice in late autumn two years ago removed Hamas from this blacklist, but subsequently reversed this ruling in the course of the judicial process.
Now, with the positive recommendation of one of the senior advisors of the EU Court of Justice regarding Hamas, the retention or removal of this Palestinian movement’s name from the EU terrorist list depends on the decision of the court’s judges.
According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday in a statement: “Hamas remains a terrorist entity” and Israel is “confident” that Hamas will remain on the list of terrorist groups of the European Union.
On the other hand, Hamas spokespersons welcomed the positive opinion of the senior advisor of the European court and called for its finalization.
Hamas, an acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement,” emphasizes that it is an organization for resistance against Israel.
Hamas was founded twenty-eight years ago in Gaza with the ideas and thoughts of the Muslim Brotherhood, and by becoming a determined rival to the long-standing Fatah movement, it was able to win the 2006 parliamentary elections in Palestinian territories.
With the intensification of competition between the two Palestinian movements, Hamas in 2007 removed Fatah from power in Gaza through actions that Fatah described as a “coup,” and has essentially held governance of the Gaza Strip until today.
Since the establishment of Hamas, Israel has considered it terrorist and has killed dozens of its leaders one after another in various operations. Israel has fought several wars against Hamas, the latest of which was two years ago in the summer.
Despite the many deaths and severe destruction in Gaza due to wars between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Hamas remains the most popular movement among Palestinians in Gaza, and its position among Palestinians in the West Bank has also strengthened.
Besides Israel and the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Japan also consider Hamas a terrorist entity.
Iran and Syria were supporters of Hamas for years, but this group’s positions in Syria’s internal war distanced the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria from Hamas, and Syria expelled Hamas leaders from Syria.
Source: Radio Farda
