The General Court of the European Union ruled on Wednesday to remove the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas from the bloc's terror blacklist. However, the funding freeze against the group will remain active for three months. According to the court's statements, the ban was based on "weak evidences derived from the media and the internet." The European Commission spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic commented on the rule saying, "The EU continues to consider Hamas a terrorist organization," adding there is a possibility of an appeal. The rule, which stirred wide condemnation inside Israel, came after four years of Hamas's consecutive appeals against being listed as a terrorist organization. Hamas stressed that it is the sole legitimate authority in Gaza Strip, that reached office through fair elections, so they can't be labeled as terrorists. In 2002 the EU listed the military wing of Hamas, Izz el-Din al-Qassam Brigades as terrorist group, and then the whole organization, following repeated military operations against Israel during the second Intifada in September 2003. Israeli Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog talked to Yedioth Ahronoth Newspaper, describing the EU verdict as a "big mistake." Hatnua Party Chairman Tzipi Livni had the same situation of Herzog, she stated to Yedioth Ahronoth news, "apparently it is not enough to say that we are strong against Hamas, but rather we must know how to operate against Hamas." According to the Israeli news portal "Ynet," Israeli officials claimed the court maintained the three-month funding-freeze to take time "to rebuild its file against Hamas with evidence of the group's activities," and then it will be able to keep the organization in terror list. The verdict will allow EU states to revive the diplomatic relations with Hamas's leaders. Hamas dominated the rule in Gaza Strip in January 2006, after defeating Fatah Party in Palestinian parliamentary elections, and ever since they are still on the top of the authority in the strip, despite the isolation imposed on the organization by most of region's countries like; Egypt, Jordan and other foreign countries like; Australia, Canada, US and the UK.
