Hamas’s recent campaign to be removed from the European Union’s terror list is unlikely to succeed given its stance toward Israel, according to statements provided to The Tower by France’s ambassador to Israel Christophe Bigot.

Bigot told The Tower that “France’s position on Hamas is clear.” The Iran-backed terror group would have to meet conditions laid down by the Quartet – the mediating group made up of the United States, Russia, the E.U., and the United Nations – before France would agree to engage the organization. Those conditions include recognition of Israel, cessation of violence, and acceptance of agreements signed between the Palestinians and Israel.

“So far we have not seen any movement in that direction,” Bigot added.

Bigot said he does not know of any active initiative to remove Hamas from the blacklist.

The ambassador also noted that while Paris supports reconciliation between Hamas and its Palestinian rival Fatah, that reconciliation would have to be on the basis of the Quartet principles to be “acceptable” to France. Overall responsibility for a unity government would have to remain with sitting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

[Photo: Hoheit / Wiki Commons]