Hamas Condemns US Consular Services in Israeli Settlements as Dangerous Recognition of Occupation
According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has issued a strong condemnation of the recent U.S. initiative to offer consular services inside the settlement of Efrat, located in the ‘Gush Etzion’ bloc in the occupied West Bank. Hamas described this action as extremely dangerous and a clear alignment with the occupation authorities’ Judaization plans, effectively recognizing settlement construction and the Israeli regime’s dominion over the West Bank.
The statement highlighted a stark contradiction in Washington’s stance, noting that a country claiming to oppose the annexation of the West Bank is simultaneously engaging in actions on the ground that strengthen annexation and solidify Israeli sovereignty over occupied lands. Hamas emphasized that the provision of official U.S. services within settlements constitutes a blatant violation of international law, which regards settlement activities as an international crime. This move is also perceived as an attempt to impose new political realities aimed at undermining and eradicating the national rights of Palestinians.
The movement warned of the repercussions of this action, urging the international community to adopt a decisive stance to halt this process and prevent escalating aggressions against the Palestinian people and land, especially in light of statements by U.S. officials that encourage the occupation to expand its control.
In a separate statement commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, Hamas declared that the occupation’s crimes will never be subject to the statute of limitations and that these actions are incapable of altering historical realities or the will of the Palestinian people. The movement called for the activation of legal proceedings to prosecute the leaders of the occupying regime for their crimes against the Palestinian people, land, and holy sites.
Hamas pointed to the ongoing attacks and actions by the Israeli regime in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, noting that the anniversary of the February 25, 1994, massacre occurs while oppressive policies persist. In that incident, Baruch Goldstein entered the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and opened fire on worshippers, resulting in the martyrdom of 29 Palestinians and injuries to dozens more. This event exemplified the violent nature of the occupation and marked the beginning of a series of similar incidents against Palestinian civilians in the years preceding and following it.
Hamas further characterized the Israeli regime’s actions at Islamic and Christian holy sites in the West Bank, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, as a clear violation of international laws and customs and part of its annexation and settlement policies. The movement stressed that the Israeli regime’s crimes, including genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, will never be forgotten, and the will of the Palestinian people to resist and persevere will not be weakened. Hamas held the occupying regime responsible for the consequences of actions related to the Ibrahimi Mosque and the Old City of Hebron and called on international organizations, especially UNESCO, to fulfill their legal and ethical responsibilities to stop these actions and investigate violations.
