The Hamas Movement welcomed the growing European economic boycott of Israeli firms and institutions and described it as a right step to pressure the Israeli occupation regime to stop its settlement and Judaization activities in the occupied Palestinian lands. In a press release on Tuesday, Hamas expressed hope that such European position could expand and become a general policy against all Israel's violations, PIC reported. The Movement called on the Arab and Islamic countries to form a united position banning any dealing with the Israeli occupation and its institutions. It also urged the world's companies and educational and cultural institutions to declare their boycott of Israel in order to pressure it to end its violations against the Palestinians and their property. Major European companies, banks and enterprises withdrew last year and recently their investments from Israel because of its settlement activities.