Hamas shutters group headed by Gaza Shiite leader

Gaza’s interior ministry says Sunday it had dissolved an association led by the head of the only Palestinian Shiite group for conducting “political activities” under the guise of charity.

“Al-Baqiat Al-Salihat association was recently dissolved because its administration had violated the law governing the actions of charitable organisations by engaging in political activities,” says a spokesman for the ministry controlled by Hamas.

The spokesman, Iyad al-Bozom, did not provide details on the activities.

A month ago the association, which receives Iranian funding, had been warned to comply with the law, Bozom says.

“Since that did not happen, the association is now considered dissolved,” he says.

The head of Al-Baqiat Al-Salihat, Hisham Salem, whose home was targeted by a bomb last month, in a statement condemns the “arbitrary decision lacking a clear legal basis” against his association.

The Hamas rulers of Gaza had targeted it with “a tyrannical policy contrary to public interest and that doesn’t take people’s needs into account unless it’s in its own interest,” Salem says.

— AFP