Hamas’s recent campaign to be removed from the
European Union’s terror list is unlikely to succeed given its
stance toward Israel, according to statements provided to The Tower by
France’s ambassador to Israel Christophe Bigot.
Bigot told The Tower that
“France’s position on Hamas is clear.” The Iran-backed terror
group would have to meet conditions laid down by the Quartet –
the mediating group made up of the United States, Russia, the
E.U., and the United Nations – before France would agree to
engage the organization. Those conditions include recognition of
Israel, cessation of violence, and acceptance of agreements
signed between the Palestinians and Israel.
“So far we have not seen
any movement in that direction,” Bigot added.
Bigot said he does not
know of any active initiative to remove Hamas from the
blacklist.
The ambassador also noted
that while Paris supports reconciliation between Hamas and its
Palestinian rival Fatah, that reconciliation would have to be on
the basis of the Quartet principles to be “acceptable” to
France. Overall responsibility for a unity government would have
to remain with sitting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
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