Senior Hamas official Khaled Mashaal and nine other Hamas political bureau leaders were sanctioned by the European Union on Thursday, along with four West Bank Jewish groups.
Mashaal, Nizar Mohammed Awadallah, Mohammad Nazzal, Husamn Badran, Khalil Al Hayya, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, Zaher Jabarin, Abu Khalil Al Quds, Fathi Hamad, and Moussa Abu Mazrouk were sanctioned by the EU Council after members’ foreign ministers agreed to the matter on May 11.
The decision was implemented in the interest of curbing Hamas violence, according to the measure, which explained that the Palestinian terrorist organization’s military wings are subject to the political leaders.
“The members of the Politburo play a significant role in the decision-making process and exert considerable influence over the actions of the military wing of Hamas, including its violent actions,” the Council said in a statement. “Therefore, they bear overall responsibility for those actions.”
Hamas condemned the decision, arguing that the sanctions were biased and in favor of Israeli narratives.
The terrorist organization called on the EU to review its policies, and affirmed that the sanctions would not stop it from establishing a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
“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 source of instability,” Hamas said in a Saturday statement.
“Additionally, the targeting of political leaders confirms that these sanctions come as a response to pressure from the occupation and are not based on standards of justice.”
EU accuses Jewish groups of being extremist Israeli settler organizations
The same day as the EU implemented the sanctions against the Hamas leaders, it also finalized the process that began on May 11 of listing four Jewish groups. The EU accused them of being extremist Israeli settler organizations, responsible for “serious and systematic human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.”
Daniella Weiss and the Nachala Settlement movement were sanctioned for allegedly encouraging the displacement of Palestinians and obstructing access to agricultural land.
Weiss told the Associated Press (AP) on May 12 that she didn’t understand the justification for the sanctions, dismissing them as “ridiculous.”
Hashomer Judea and Shomron, along with its president Avichai Suissa, whose mission statement is to protect Israeli herds and farms from theft, faced restrictive measures for supporting “violent” settlements and recruiting armed guards that had been involved in attacks.
Sa’ar: EU imposed sanctions against Israeli citizens and organizations without any basis.
Another organization that was listed in sanctions was Amana, which allegedly founded outposts and settlements from which settler violence supposedly emanated.
Regavim and its director, Meir Deutsch, were also included for allegedly lobbying for the demolition of an EU-funded Palestinian school.
Regavim argued on X/Twitter on Thursday that they were being punished not for being violent, but for petitioning the court against a structure that they contended was illegal, dangerous, and built at the foot of the Herodium archeological site. “We did not act with violence. We did not take the law into our own hands. We did exactly what is expected of citizens in a law-abiding state – we turned to the court,” said Regavim.
“But in Europe, they decided to send a message: ‘Anyone who fights for law enforcement in Judea and Samaria will be punished.’”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on May 11 that the EU had chosen to impose sanctions against Israeli citizens and organizations without any basis.
“Equally outrageous is the unacceptable comparison the European Union has chosen to make between Israeli citizens and Hamas terrorists,” Sa’ar said. “This is a completely distorted moral equivalence.”
