The Jerusalem Post Internet Edition

UK, France at odds over banning Hamas political wing

The Jerusalem Post Internet Staff

Jun. 16, 2003

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin were at odds Monday over discussions within the EU to outlaw Hamas' political wing.

Calling for an international crackdown on the radical Palestinian group, Straw said Monday that Hamas was trying to blow up the Middle East peace process.

Dominique de Villepin, making a distinction between "mass movements" and "terrorists" argued that Hamas remained a necessary player in the peace process.

De Villepin also urged Hamas to make more efforts in ending terrorist acts from Palestinian militants. "We call on Hamas to demonstrate that they are against all terrorist activities," he said.

Speaking to reporters at a EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg, Straw called Hamas a "terrorist group" and added that it was "literally trying to blow this process to pieces".

We are taking firm action in the United Kingdom against Hamas, and now I believe is the time for the whole of the international community including the European Union to take action against a group which has made very clear that it has no interest whatever in being a partner for peace," he said.

The EU has already listed Izz al-Din al-Qassam, Hamas' military wing, as a terrorist organization. It will do the same to its political wing unless Hamas backs the peace process and abandons suicide bombings, said Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who presided over the EU meeting.

The EU's outgoing Middle East peace envoy, Miguel Angel Moratinos, told Spain's El Pais daily on Monday that the EU should add Hamas to its terrorist groups list because a political agreement would be impossible "if they carry on bombing."

Villepin dismissed the envoy's comment, saying: "He's [Moritanos] at the end of his mandate."