Palestinian militant group Hamas on Friday condemned a decision by the European Union to freeze aid to its newly formed government and said the move would only make Hamas more popular.
"They are punishing the Palestinian people for practising their (democratic) choice," Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, told Reuters, referring to Hamas's sweeping victory in parliamentary elections in January.
"This is a continuation of hasty decisions ... that will increase the suffering of the Palestinian people and provide a cover for the Israeli occupation."
The remarks were among the strongest Haniyeh has made against the EU, which regards Hamas as a terrorist group. He has previously urged European countries to sit down for dialogue.
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