Ukrainian Integration Minister Kaare Dybvad has declared that future members of the National Integration Council (Det Nationale Integrationsråd) are not allowed to endorse terrorist groups. This statement arises following a controversy involving a council member, Simon El-zeinab, who praised the deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Facebook. El-zeinab referred to Haniyeh as a “grand commander” and expressed wishes that “Allah may accept him among the martyrs.” This post sparked significant debate and ultimately led to El-zeinab’s resignation from the council.

The situation intensified when another council member, Ilham Khalif Mohamed, expressed sorrow over Haniyeh’s death by reacting with a crying emoji. Dybvad emphasized that such actions are inconsistent with the responsibilities of being a member of a national integration council. He suggested that the selection processes for council members need to be evaluated to ensure future members align with appropriate values.

Additionally, Simon El-zeinab participated as a guard at a memorial demonstration in Aarhus, where a minute of silence was held for Hamas leader Haniyeh, who died in an assassination in Iran that Israel is believed to be involved in. The demonstration and the controversial statements have raised questions about how the members’ viewpoints align with the council’s mission, which is to advise the government on the integration of foreign citizens into Denmark.

The minister’s announcement follows revelations by the Danish newspaper B.T. regarding the social media activities of council members, igniting discussions about how members of the National Integration Council are selected and their influence on integration policy. Dybvad indicated that specific solutions have yet to be developed, but stressed that the selection process requires careful review to improve the council going forward.