Hamas loses appeal against EU terror listing

Long-running court action keeps militant group on the EU sanctions list

Maher Salah, prominent leader in the Hamas Palestinian Islamist movement and head of Hamas abroad, takes part in a protest along the Israel-Gaza border, in Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip in August 2018.Show more

Hamas has again lost an appeal against the EU's decision to list it as terrorist organisation.
It has been appealing against the bloc's decision to add it to the EU sanctions list in 2001.
Its inclusion in the list means all its assets are frozen.
On Thursday, it renewed its appeal against the decision at the European Court of Justice.
The panel rejected its bid, citing evidence from the UK and the US in listing it as a terrorist organisation.
"For these reasons, the Court (Seventh Chamber) declares and orders the appeal is dismissed," it ruled.

"It orders Hamas to bear its own costs and it is ordered to bear those incurred by the Council of the European Union and the European Commission."
Hamas, which has armed and political wings, has argued that the EU had made a "mistaken characterisation" of it as a terrorist group and claimed the listing is  "not substantiated by any evidence" to justify it.
The EU's General Court has rejected previous attempts by the militant group to recover its assets in Europe after a series of decisions by the European Council in 2010, 2014 and 2017.