Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Jordan's House of Representatives (lower house of parliament) on Tuesday amended a bill pertaining to financing terrorism, a move seen as an attempt to sidestep labeling Palestinian faction Hamas as a "terrorist" organization.

Last month, the Jordanian government proposed a bill on money laundering and terrorism financing to be ratified by parliament.

In a Tuesday session, parliament voted in favor of a proposal by MP Rula Hroub that called for removing Article IV of the government-proposed bill, which tackles money laundering and terrorism financing without specifying terrorist entities that would be subject to the proposed law.

"Ratifying the bill as proposed by the government would mean considering the resistance movement Hamas a terrorist organization," Hroub said during the session, which was attended by an Anadolu Agency correspondent.

"It would also mean that the transfer of funds from Jordan to any Palestinian linked to Hamas in any way can be classified as terrorism financing, which should be noted, as Jordanian law does not deem Hamas a terrorist organization," Hroub said.

The amended bill now includes the phrase "deemed by the kingdom [of Jordan] as a terrorist organization."

The bill has to be voted by the House of Senate (upper house of parliament) in order to be a law.

*Anadolu