The Palestinian Authority’s ruling Fatah faction expressed support for the Hamas terror organization Thursday, slamming the US Treasury Department’s decision to add Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh to its list of global terrorists sanctioned by the US.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration publicized the decision, which freezes all assets in the US owned by the senior Hamas terrorist and bars American citizens from doing business with him. International organizations which operate in the US may also be held liable for business dealings with Haniyeh.
Later that day, the Hamas terror group denounced the decision, and vowed that it would “not deter” the organization from continuing its terrorist activities.
"The American decision to include Haniyeh on the terrorist list is a failed attempt to pressure the resistance," a Hamas spokesman said.
"This decision will not deter us from continuing the resistance option to expel the occupation.”
On Thursday, a top PA diplomat expressed support for Hamas on behalf of the Fatah faction and the Palestine Liberation Organization, denouncing the Trump administration’s decision while calling for “national unity” with Hamas.
Saeb Erekat, a perennial critic of Israel who has accused the Jewish state of “genocide” and “war crimes”, turned to Israeli’s organ donation registry for a lung transplant after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Erekat later received the transplant in the US.
In a post on the Fatah party’s official Facebook page, Erekat “rejected and denounced” the US for its decision to sanction the Hamas leader, and called for “the achievement of national unity in order to preserve the Palestinian National project”.
“The Palestine Liberation Organization rejects and denounces the decision of the United states Treasury Department to include Ismail Haniyeh on the terror blacklist,” the post reads.
“Saeb Erekat, Secretary of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected and denounced the decision of the United States Treasury Department to include the Hamas chief… and called for the removal of the causes of division and the achievement of national unity in order to preserve the Palestinian National project and to address the schemes aimed at liquidating the project.”
Last month, Erekat announced plans by the PLO to pursue charges against the Trump administration over its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city.