From its very beginning, the terrorist group’s aspirations always went beyond the borders of Israel. Pinhas Inbari writes:
[A] careful examination of the roots of the Palestinian struggle reveals that it is also calculated against Europe, and is geared not toward an end to occupation but rather to the eventual takeover of Europe. . . .
[For instance, the] Hamas MP and cleric Yunis al-Astal proclaimed in 2008, “We will conquer Rome, and from there continue to conquer the two Americas and even Eastern Europe.” Since then, not only did Hamas not abandon al-Astal’s claim, but they have even provided him with important platforms to preach . . . as a Hamas minister in places such as the Palestinian Legislative Council, as well as in important mosques and universities.
Read more on Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs : http://jcpa.org/hamas-looks-beyond-jerusalem-to-rome-and-beyond