Israel orders 4 Hamas officials to go out of country

Israel orders 4 Hamas officials to go out of countryHaaretz reported on Friday that four Hamas Legislative Council members are being ordered out of Israel.

Jerusalem police confiscated the Israeli identity cards of the four council members, who refuse to give up membership in the organization, the Tel Aviv newspaper said.

The report further said that Mohammed Abu Tir, Mohammed Totach, Khaled Abu Arafa and Ahmed Atoun are being given until July to get out of the country.

Haaretz also said that the council members' identity cards were lifted after The High Court of Justice ruled it would not prevent their expulsion.

The four had been warned previously by Israel they must renounce their membership in Hamas or risk losing their residency rights in East Jerusalem.

Considered a terrorist organization by Israel and many other countries, Hamas won control of the Palestinian parliament in 2006 elections and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007. That has resulted in rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza. (With Inputs from Agencies)