Carstairs also criticized Israel's detention of 37 members of the Palestinian parliament who were elected as representatives of Hamas, which Israel and the United States consider a terrorist group.

VOA: standard.2009.04.09

The first hint of a debate emerged in recent weeks on whether the EU should re-examine its no-contact approach to Hamas, classified as a terrorist group.

WSJ: EU Faces Tests on Foreign Policy

Israel has no diplomatic relations with Hamas, which it deems a terrorist group.

WSJ: Israeli Truce With Gaza Militants Takes Hold

Both Israel and the US have insisted they will not deal with any side that includes Hamas, which they regard as a terrorist group.

BBC: Egypt urges US to back Palestinian state declaration