Hamas condemns Washington's designation of Houthis as global terrorist organization

By Anadolu staff

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - The Palestinian resistance group Hamas issued a statement Wednesday condemning the US for relisting Yemen’s Houthi group as “specially designated global terrorists,” calling it a political move and clear bias toward the Israeli occupation.

Hamas said in a post on Telegram that “it strongly condemns the reclassification by Washington of the Ansar Allah movement (Houthis) in Yemen as a global terrorist organization.”

It added that it views the decision as “biased and a blatant support for the (Israeli) occupation and an overt attempt to protect it, providing cover for its brutal aggression and genocide against our Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

“This unethical and biased classification once again proves the alignment of President (Joe) Biden's administration with the Zionist expansionist agenda in Palestine and the region," it said.

Hamas asserted that "American policies will not deter the free and Arab peoples worldwide from expressing solidarity with our Palestinian people and their just cause until the end of the occupation and the realization of our people's aspirations for freedom and self-determination."

In its statement, Hamas expressed appreciation and gratitude “for the efforts of the Houthi movement and all resistance forces in supporting Palestine and Jerusalem.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the US announced the reclassification of the Houthis as a "terrorist organization," according to statements issued by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

In response, the Houthi group said the decision would not deter it from supporting Palestine, considering it to be "ineffective" on the ground.

In mid-February 2021, the US officially removed the Houthi group from its list of terrorist organizations, about a month after the administration of former President Donald Trump classified the group as a foreign terrorist organization.

In solidarity with Gaza, which has been under a destructive Israeli war since Oct. 7 last year, supported by the US, the Houthis target ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies or carrying goods to and from Israel with missiles and drones.

Tensions in the Red Sea escalated significantly after the Houthis directly targeted a US ship on Jan. 9 following the previous targeting of ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala