Hamas Calls On Hezbollah to Join Fight Against Israel
Hamas has reportedly called on the Lebanese Hezbollah to unite with the group in fighting Israel.
A letter allegedly from Mohammed Deif, leader of Hamas' armed wing, on Thursday asked the group to unite with it in battling the U.S.-backed country, a report from Haaretz said.
The letter called on the two groups to settle their differences over the Syrian war. Hamas has been hostile toward Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Hezbollah has been fighting against the rebels who are trying to topple him.
"The true enemy of the nation is the Zionist enemy and all rifles must be directed against it," said the letter, which carried Deif's signature. "All forces of resistance must direct their coming battle as one."
The Gaza-based military commander, who was targeted in an Israeli bombing in the Gaza war, also offered his condolences to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah over the death of six of his fighters in a suspected Israeli airstrike in Syria on Sunday.
Deif, who is in hiding, is accused by Israel to be behind the suicide bombings in its cities, which have resulted to the deaths of dozens of people.
Israel has tried to assassinate him many times, including an attempt in August during the 50-day Gaza war.
Hamas, described by Haaretz to be "in political and financial isolation," has been trying to revive old alliances and restore its funding.
Earlier this week, the European Union expressed its opposition to the decision of its General Court to remove the Islamist Hamas from the list of terror groups.
"The Judgment of the General Court of the European Union annulled measures taken by the Council of the European Union against Hamas, namely the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization and the freezing of Hamas' funds. This ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and did not imply any assessment by the Court of the merits of designating the Hamas as a terrorist organization," read the statement of E.U. High Representative Federica Mogherini.
The effects of the judgement have been deferred following the E.U.'s decision to challenge the findings of the tribunal.
"As a result of the appeal, the effects of the Judgment are suspended until a final judgment is rendered by the Court of Justice."
"The fight against terrorism remains a priority for the European Union. In this sense, the E.U. is determined to stem the financing of terrorism, for which E.U. autonomous measures are an essential tool."
