‘Countries must ask themselves if they’re for or against Hamas’

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Monday referred to the upcoming vote in the UN on a resolution which will condemn Hamas for its terrorist attacks against Israel.

“On Thursday the UN will vote on a US resolution supported by the EU that condemns Hamas’ destructive actions. Countries must now ask themselves: are they for or against Hamas’ violence? The choice is clear for the US – we hope it will be for the rest of the UN as well,” she tweeted.

All 28 EU countries agreed to support the measure after the United States included a mention of relevant UN resolutions in the text that does not, however, refer to “the two-state solution.”

Hamas has been trying to convince the UN to vote down the measure. Last week, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh wrote directly to UN General Assembly president Maria Fernanda Spinosa, in response to the US and Israel’s efforts against Hamas in the UN.

In his letter, Haniyeh claimed he is “following up with great anger and condemnation the ongoing and miserable efforts by the United States of America, not only by adopting the Israeli narrative of the conflict, but also by providing all the necessary material and moral support for the Israeli occupation to continue its aggression against our people and deprive them of their basic rights of freedom, independence and self-determination.”

He further claimed that Hamas would “greatly count on the members of the UN General Assembly [to] stand by international legitimacy in support for the right of peoples to defend themselves and thwart these aggressive American endeavors.”

This week, Hamas received surprising support from its longtime rival Fatah, which is headed by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas Zaki, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, condemned the American resolution and described it as a “clear racist decision”.

On Monday, US Special envoy Jason Greenblatt slammed the PA for defending Hamas, calling its actions “beyond absurd”.

“The Palestinian Authority, which hates Hamas, has cut payments to Gaza for months which increases the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, now tries to defend Hamas and terrorism by undermining a condemnation of Hamas at the UN. It’s time to speak the truth,” Greenblatt tweeted.