J Street welcomes the ruling by Europe’s top court yesterday that Hamas should remain on the EU terrorism blacklist. Hamas is a terrorist organization that routinely conducts attacks against Israeli civilians. The EU – along with the rest of the world – should regard them as such.

The EU had previously listed Hamas as a terror group until a procedural ruling in 2014 by a lower EU court removed them from the list. This led to an unfreezing of Hamas’s assets and a lifting of their travel ban in Europe. Following yesterday’s decision, the travel ban on Hamas will be reimposed and their European assets refrozen.

The EU’s 2014 ruling led to widespread outrage. The US, which classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization, has urged the EU to put Hamas back on the blacklist. This policy has broad support and was advocated by both the Trump and Obama administrations. The EU’s decision to return Hamas to the blacklist demonstrates that the United States and our European allies remain united in working to defeat those who utilize and sponsor terror.