Hamas criticizes EU sanctions against members of its political bureau

The Islamist group Hamas has strongly condemned the European Union's decision to sanction ten members of its political bureau and Islamic Jihad. Hamas asserted that the Palestinian people's resistance against the Israeli occupation is a "legitimate right" guaranteed by international law. The group argued that the EU's move aims to "criminalize" this resistance and will not alter the reality of the occupation, which Hamas identifies as the root cause of the conflict and instability.

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The attempt to criminalize the Palestinian resistance will not change the fact that our people are under occupation, their resistance is a legitimate right guaranteed by all laws and humanitarian norms, and the occupation is the root of the conflict and the source of instability.

In a statement, Hamas described the EU's decision as "unjust" and "biased." The group reiterated its commitment to Palestinian demands for freedom, self-determination, an end to the occupation, and the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. The EU's sanctions list includes prominent figures such as Hamas's chief negotiator Jalil al-Haya, political leader Khaled Meshal, and Shura Council chief Muhamad Darwish, among others.

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unjust

The EU's global human rights sanctions regime imposes consequences such as freezing assets and prohibiting travel to the Schengen Area for sanctioned individuals and entities. In parallel, the EU also approved sanctions against four organizations and three Israeli settlers deemed responsible for "serious and systematic human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank." These include the Nachala Settlement Movement, its director Daniella Weiss, the Israeli NGO Regavim and its director Meir Deutsch, for advocating the demolition of Palestinian properties to expand Israeli control. Additionally, the NGO Hashomer Yosh and its president Avichai Suissa were sanctioned for facilitating illegal farms in settlements and recruiting armed volunteers, as was the cooperative association Amana.

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biased