Brussels, 27/08/2003 (Agence Europe) - European diplomatic sources indicate there is unlikely to be any decision about whether to include Hamas in the EU list of terrorist organisations before Gymnich. Following the announcement by the United States on Friday that it is freezing the assets of six Hamas leaders and five organisations (three of which are based in the EU) accused of funding Hamas, the EU has come under increased pressure from the US, Israel, the UK and the Netherlands. The Political and Security Committee (PSC or COPS) met on Monday for the first time since the summer break but only discussed the issue in brief, according to diplomatic sources. Diplomats are not expecting any serious developments before the foreign ministers hold their informal meeting, known at the Gymnich meeting, in Riva del Garda on 5 and 6 September.
Hamas' armed wing, Hamss-Izz al-Din al-Qassem, has been on the EU list of terrorist organisations since the list was first drawn up at the end of December 2001. Opinions have differed, however, over whether the political wing of Hamas should be added to the list. France is particularly opposed, fearing this would be a further handicap to the peace process. The UK and the Netherlands, however, are firm supporters of adding Hamas to the list. When a foreign organisation is added to the list, its assets are automatically frozen throughout the EU.
The individuals covered by the US' Friday decision are Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, described as the Hamas leader in Gaza; Imad Khalil Al-Alami, member of Hamas' political bureau in Damascus (Syria); Usama Hamdan, leader of Hamas in Lebanon; Khalid Mishaal, head of Hamas' political bureau in Damascus (Syria); Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of the Syrian political bureau of Hamas; and Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a Hamas leader in Gaza. They are accused of raising funds for Hamas. The NGOs targetted by the US for the same reason are the Comité de Bienfaisance et de Secours aux Palestiniens (CBSP) based en France; the Association de Secours Palestinien (ASP) in Switzerland; the Palestinian Relief and Development Fund, or Interpal, which has its headquarters in the UK; the Palestinian Association in Austria; and the Sanabil Association for Relief and Development, based in the Lebanon. Justifying its decision to freeze these organisations' assets in the US, the US Treasury Department notes that we cannot separate parts of the body from the body, and Hamas is a single body.