Business Standard

Blacklisted Hamas official: US shows 'total bias' for Israel

Image

AFP Gaza City
A senior Hamas official designated by Washington as a "global terrorist" accused the United States today of "total bias" in favour of Israel.

The US yesterday added Hamas politburo member Fathi Hammad to its terror blacklist, meaning that US citizens and companies will be banned from doing business with him and any property he holds in areas under US jurisdiction will be frozen.

According to the US State Department, which issued the designation, during his time as Hamas interior minister in Gaza Hammad used his position to "coordinate terrorist cells."

Washington already defines the Islamist Hamas organisation, which rules the Gaza Strip, as a "foreign terrorist organisation."
 

Hammad said in a statement that the latest US move, coming as Washington signed a new 10-year deal giving unprecedented military aid to the Jewish state, "represents an additional dark page... Of the US administration."

He said it showed "total bias toward the killing machine and Zionist terrorism."

The State Department said that Hammad had founded Al-Aqsa TV, "with programs designed to recruit children to become Hamas armed fighters and suicide bombers upon reaching adulthood.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: Sep 17 2016 | 7:28 PM IST

Explore News