The U.S. Places Ismail Haniyeh on Its Terrorist Blacklist

On Wednesday, February 1, the United States placed Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, on its terrorist blacklist and imposed sanctions against him. According to a statement from the U.S. State Department reported by AFP, "Haniyeh has close ties to Hamas's military wing and is a supporter of armed struggles, including against civilians." The statement adds, "He has reportedly played a role in terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens. Hamas is responsible for the lives of 17 Americans who were killed in terrorist attacks." Haniyeh is currently on the U.S. Treasury Department's sanctions blacklist, which means that any potential assets he has in the United States will be frozen, and American individuals and companies will not be allowed to conduct business with him. AFP notes that in light of Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the protests from Islamic and Palestinian countries, the U.S. State Department's action will escalate tensions. Haniyeh previously condemned the U.S. President's decision, stating that Washington seeks to mislead the world regarding the Palestinian issue. Regarding Jerusalem, at the end of December, the UN General Assembly held an emergency meeting supported by Arab and Islamic countries, during which a resolution was passed opposing any changes to the political status of Jerusalem with the votes of 128 out of 193 members. In the Wednesday statement from the U.S. State Department, three groups were also named alongside Haniyeh, referred to as "global terrorists." These groups include Harakat al-Sabirin in Palestine, Liwa al-Thawra, and Harakat Hasm or the Revolutionary Brigade in Egypt. The statement claims that the individuals and groups mentioned, two of which are under Iranian control, threaten the stability of the Middle East, hinder the peace process, and target our allies in Egypt and Israel.