The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected the US decision to include Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh on its terrorism list.
Saeb Erekat, Secretary General of the PLO Executive Committee, said that the organization “rejects and condemns the American decision to include Haniyeh on the terrorism list”, and called for overcoming all divisions and achieving national unity for the sake of the Palestinian national project.
The PLO’s position posed another challenge to the United States, in light of the crisis over US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as the organization has at previous times avoided commenting on similar decisions against Hamas.
Washington announced on Wednesday that it had included Ismail Haniyeh, on its terrorism list, along with three organizations.
“The Department of State has designated Ismail Haniyeh, Harakat al-Sabireen, Liwa al Thawra, and Harakat Sawa’d Misr (HASM) as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224,” read a media note by the State Department’s Office of the Spokesperson.
The decision sparked a wave of anger in the Palestinian territories, as many officials strongly denounced the new move. Haniyeh, for his part, was quoted as saying by his son that he has been awarded a “medal of honor” through the new US announcement.
Muhammad Haniyeh said his father told worshipers at the dawn prayer in Gaza that the US describing him as terrorist was an “honor medal.”
Hamas issued a statement in which it said that the American decision was a dangerous development that comes “in violation of the international laws, which gave the Palestinian people the right to defend themselves, resist the occupation and choose their leadership.”
“This decision demonstrates the full US bias in favor of the Israeli occupation and provides a formal cover for Israeli crimes against our Palestinian people,” the statement noted.
