Trump’s 'terror' label for Hamas draws Palestinian fire

By Ayser al-Ayes

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) - A leader of the Palestinian political movement Fatah has denounced U.S. President Donald Trump for labeling resistance group Hamas as a “terrorist” organization during his speech in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

“Hamas is part and parcel of the Palestinian people and linking it with terrorism is an attack on the Palestinian people,” Sultan Abul-Enein told Anadolu Agency.

He stressed that Hamas is a resistance group that has been fighting the Israeli occupation.

“Hamas and all other Palestinian groups are resisting Israel in line with international law which allows any people whose lands have been occupied to fight the occupiers,” he said.

Speaking at the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Trump said "the fanatical violence" caused worst destruction in the Middle East as stating that "ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, and so many others must be counted not only in the number of dead, but in generations of vanished dreams."

For its part, Hamas -- which rules the blockaded Gaza Strip -- slammed Trump’s terrorist label of the group as a “bias” in favor of Israel.

Hamas is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S., EU and Israel.