Israel Matzav

Still no visa for Hamas invitee

On Thursday, I told you that Fwance was considering granting a visa to a Hamas representative to attend a European parliament meeting in Strasbourg. Today, it looks like Fwance is doing what they do best - fortunately this time for the good guys. They're backing down:

The participation of a Hamas representative at Monday's session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg seemed unlikely Sunday since France had not yet decided whether to issue him a visa.

"The visa has not been issued," French Ambassador Gerard Araud told The Jerusalem Post.

Araud said the Hamas visa issue would likely be raised in Monday's meeting of the 25 European Union foreign ministers in Luxembourg. That meeting is expected to deal with the EU's overall relationship with the new Hamas-led Palestinian Authority government.

Asked if it would be difficult to get the visa issued in time for the Hamas representative, whose name Araud did not know offhand, to attend the three-day PACE parley, the French ambassador replied, "I think so."

If, indeed, France does not issue the visa in time, it would mark the second time in two weeks that Hamas representatives have been unable, for "technical reasons," to travel to Europe to take part in parliamentary gatherings.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:52 PM