Europe agrees to back UN resolution condemning Hamas

The European Union agreed to support a US-sponsored United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Hamas, following negotiations with Washington, diplomats said Thursday. The draft resolution will likely be voted on in the United Nations General Assembly on Monday. After the US agreed to make some changes to the initial draft, the EU on Thursday agreed to support the text. All 28 EU member states are expected to vote in favor "All 28 members will support the US text," a European diplomat told AFP. If adopted, the resolution would be the first General Assembly vote to condemn the Palestinian terrorist group. The EU's support dramatically increases its chances of passing, though it is unclear whether it will guarantee the needed simple majority among the UN's 193 member states. Earlier this week, European diplomats said there were disagreements on the proposed US text, notably including references to UN resolutions and to the two-state solution. The Europeans had asked, and the Americans agreed, to insert a clause that states that a future Israeli-Palestinian peace deal should be "in accordance with international law, and bearing in mind relevant UN resolutions." However, the draft still does not make explicit mention of a two-state solution, though virtually all recently passed UN resolutions passed on the subject do. Both the US and the EU recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization. The new draft of resolution, entitled, "Activities of Hamas and Other Militant Groups in Gaza," also makes explicit mention of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, another militant group with a large presence in the Gaza Strip. The draft "condemns Hamas for repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and for inciting violence, thereby putting civilians at risk" and demands that "Hamas and other militant actors including Palestinian Islamic Jihad cease all provocative actions and violent activity, including by using airborne incendiary devices." It further condemns Hamas's use of sources in Gaza "construct military infrastructure, including tunnels to infiltrate Israel and equipment to launch rockets into civilian areas, when such resources could be used to address the critical needs of the civilian population." Photos: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and damages caused by Gazan rocket fire

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