EU keeps Hamas on terror list despite court ruling

The European Union (EU) has kept Hamas on its terrorism blacklist despite a court ruling ordering the 28-member bloc to remove the Palestinian resistance movement from the register.

The measure comes as EU foreign ministers have lodged an appeal against the decision made by the union’s second highest court late last year. The appeal process is expected to take around a year and a half.

“Hamas stays on list during Council’s appeal to December judgment,” Susanne Kiefer, a spokeswoman for the European Council said on Twitter.

The General Court of the European Union ruled on December 17, 2014 that the decision to sanction Hamas in the wake of the September 11, 2011, attacks was not based not on sound legal judgments, but rather on conclusions drawn from the media and the internet.

Hamas slams EU decision

On Friday, Hamas criticized the EU’s appeal to the ruling.

“This decision completely contradicts the court's ruling,” said Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, adding, “It is unjust and wrong to our people and legitimate resistance, and also encourages the Occupation (Israel) to continue its crimes.”

“We reject this decision and call for its review, and to remove all forms of injustice against our people and Hamas,” Barhoum said.

Earlier, Sami Abu Zuhri, another Hamas spokesman, had also denounced the EU appeal as “immoral."”

“The European Union’s insistence on keeping Hamas on the list of terrorist organizations is an immoral step, and reflects the EU’s total bias in favor of the Israeli occupation,” Zuhri said on January 19.

He added that the EU provides Israel “with the cover for its crimes against the Palestinian people.”

Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, which has been under a crippling Israeli siege since 2007.

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