The harsh daily life in Gaza just got harder after Hamas imposed additional taxes. Business dealers and civilians in Gaza told the Arab website “24” that the Hamas Ministry of Finance decided to impose taxes on all basic commodities, both on sellers and buyers in the stores and supermarkets. Hamas...

• Kindle

The parliament of the European Union voted today to reject the tactic of unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood, instead declaring that recognition should come as a result of negotiations. Reuters reports: Following a deal among the main parties, the motion carried by 498 votes to 88 stated: “(The European Parliament) supports...

• Kindle

At a rally held in advance of Hamas’ 27th anniversary, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar proclaimed that his organization would take over the West Bank “just as we liberated Gaza,” according to a translation of the speech published yesterday by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Speaking at a December 12...

• Kindle

The European Union still considers Hamas to be a terrorist organization, a spokeswoman for the EU said today. The clarification follows yesterday’s ruling by the EU’s second-highest court that Hamas’ designation as a terror group in 2001 did not follow the proper procedures. The statement was reported by Agence France-Presse. “The...

• Kindle

The Palestinian Authority decided on Sunday to continue its security cooperation with Israel, inflaming tensions between Fatah and its rivals Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which demand a stop to the coordination. The decision was made despite calls to halt security ties with Israel following the death of Palestinian...

• Kindle

Hamas celebrated the 27th anniversary of its founding with a military parade (Arabic link) yesterday, showing off its arsenal of weapons and the burning of a Jew in effigy. In addition, Hamas took the opportunity to launch a new psychological warfare attack against Israel, releasing footage it claims is of Mohammed Deif,...

• Kindle

Hamas is seeking to mend ties with Syria and Iran according to policy brief written Thursday by Ali Alfoneh, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Alfoneh cited an interview Hamas spokesman, Osama Hamdan, gave to an Iranian news agency. Speaking to Iran’s ISNA news agency, Hamas...

• Kindle

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution condemning Hamas’s use of human shields, following the passage earlier in the week of the Senate version of the resolution, coauthored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen...

• Kindle

Young Palestinians are increasingly fleeing Gaza for Israel, preferring to risk what they call the “comfort” of Israeli jails to life under Hamas, according to a report today written by journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and published by the Gatestone Institute. Over the past two months, more than 20 Palestinians have been...

• Kindle

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday urged the Treasury Department take additional measures to sanction individuals and groups – including countries – providing financial and material support to Hamas. In a letter addressed to Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen, 24 of the 29 members of the...

• Kindle