A conference funded by Al-Jazeera and led by Hamas officials in Europe was deleted by its Brussels host venue’s website following a recent US treasury designation.
The event was organized by the European Palestinian Council for Political Relations (EUPAC), a Belgium-registered lobbying organization led by two Hamas officials in Europe, chairman Majed Al-Zeer and deputy chairman Mohammad Hannoun, both designated only this week by the US treasury as officials in Hamas who raised millions of dollars for the benefit of the terror group.
The conference was supposed to take place on October 14, yet now the invitation has been taken off the venue’s website, and a different event appears on that same date. It was originally titled "The Genocidal War in Gaza One Year On: Humanitarian, Legal and Political Implications in the European Context", and was supposed to feature members of the European Parliament, including Lynn Boylan (Ireland), Daniel Attard (Malta) and Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Spain), with aforementioned EUPAC chairman Majed Al-Zeer as a key speaker. Despite this, as of now, the decision to freeze the conference altogether has not yet been taken, and it is unclear whether the conference will take place at the venue or at a different location.
The Al-Jazeera-Hamas connection
As mentioned, the conference, which is meant to host a designated Hamas official, was funded by Al-Jazeera, a fact which may further highlight the relations between Hamas and the Qatari outlet.
Hamas, a terrorist organization designated by the EU, Canada, the US, and many other nations, defines itself as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political and social movement that was founded almost a century ago in Egypt and seeks to establish an Islamic state with Sharia as its law. Other tributaries of the Muslim Brotherhood include Al-Qaeda and ISIS, both of which are part of the Salafi Jihadist stream of the movement.
Qatar, who owns the Al-Jazeera network, is known as one of the major patrons of the Muslim Brotherhood, promoting its branches across the globe with funding and moral support. In Israel, local courts argued that Hamas views Al-Jazeera as their propaganda and intelligence arm, and indeed on many occasions the Qatari-owned channel publishes exclusive footage and first-hand statements and information originating from Hamas and its militia, the Al-Qassam Brigades.
The new US designation, which was published on the one year commemoration of the October 7th Massacre, stressed that other parties are prohibited from providing funds, goods or services for the benefit of the newly recognized Hamas officials, warning of ‘secondary sanctions’ to those who engage in “certain transactions.” However, it is unclear whether Al-Jazeera would also be subject to those sanctions in the case of funding this event.
Activists and politicians encourage Press Club to freeze the event
Michael Freilich, a member of the Belgian Parliament, encouraged the Press Club to freeze the conference, adding: “I urge the Press Club to adhere to the US designation and freeze the event. However, regardless of the outcome, nothing would absolve Belgium of its responsibility. The urgent need to shut down EUPAC, freeze its assets, and expel its leaders back to the West Bank cannot be ignored. With the U.S. Treasury's recent designation of this organization’s leaders, it is clear that the time for decisive action is now. The current Belgian government must prioritize this issue, especially given the disturbing tendency to blur the line between legitimate support for the Palestinian people and tacit acceptance of Hamas's violent agenda. This is not a matter of diplomacy, but of national security and moral clarity.”
A spokesperson for IMPAC, a Brussels-based not-for-profit engaged in promoting democratic values and countering radicalization, who highlighted Al-Zeer’s designation, commended the decision to take the event off the Press Club’s website, adding: “A swift and clear cancellation of the event would be a positive outcome that reflects the Brussels Press Club’s dedication to upholding its standards and ensuring that its premises are not exploited by individuals with ties to terrorist organizations. This would send a clear message that terrorism has no place in our public forum.”
Arsen Ostrovsky, a human rights attorney and CEO of The International Legal Forum, commented: “Common sense must prevail. It is inexplicable that on the anniversary of 12 months since the Hamas slaughter, the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust, that anyone would contemplate even for a moment, to provide a platform to a Hamas-designated terrorist. The Press Club must implement a more stringent review process for future events and speakers, to ensure space is not provided to designated terrorists and individuals inciting racial hatred."
The Brussels Press Club and MEPs Boyland, Attard and Marzà Ibáñez have yet to respond to the Post’s comment requests.