Brussels, 15/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 December, the General Court of the EU will rule on the validity of the appeal by the Palestinian movement Hamas in September 2010 against the sanctions taken out on Hamas at the end of 2001 as part of the EU's policy of fighting against terrorist movements (Case T-400/10).
This ruling comes at a time when the issue of formally recognising the Palestinian state is being discussed in many member states and at EU level. The European Parliament has already been called upon to give its opinion on this this week.
Hamas, the originally pro-Syrian Palestinian resistance movement which for several years has been backed by Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, has been in power on the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian elections in January 2006 - which it won. It contests the EU keeping it on the European list of terrorist organisations, arguing in particular that it is an elected government and that, in line with the principle of non-interference, it cannot be included on the lists of terrorist organisations. In support of its appeal, it states the fact that it did not receive any notification from the Council of an “act of designation”, putting it among terrorist organisations, that is was not informed in detail of the nature and reason for the accusations against it, and that it has not been able to argue its point of view on these accusations effectively. (FG)