The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly opposes the Obama Administration decision to continue funding Mahmoud Abbas’ Hamas/Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA, which is to receive this year $545 million in U.S. aid ($395 million in economic aid and $150 million in military assistance), will receive in 2013 $440 million ($370 million and $70 million for economic and military aid respectively), despite its decision to form a unified Palestinian government for Judea, Samaria and Gaza with the terrorist organization Hamas. Hamas calls in its Charter for the destruction of Israel (Article 15) and the murder of Jews (Article 7), and has launched over 10,000 missiles on Israeli civilians.
This means that, despite the unity agreement of Fatah/PA and the genocidal Hamas organization, the U.S. will be funding a regime that is in coalition with a terrorist organization that has called for the murder of Jews and the destruction of Israel and the U.S., and supports jihadists around the world assaulting the U.S. U.S. law makes funding of any terrorist group illegal and Hamas is a recognized terrorist group listed as such by both the U.S. and the European Union.
This decision to maintain U.S. aid to the PA is therefore illegal, as well as being a serious strategic error and an insult to American taxpayers. It sends the message that a foreign regime can refuse to negotiate peace with a U.S. ally; indulge in blood-curdling incitement to hatred and murder against Jews and Americans; refuse to arrest terrorists or outlaw terrorist groups; and form an alliance with a genocidal terrorist organization that calls for the murder of Jews and Americans and still receive funding from the American taxpayer. It tells Americans that their money will be used to fund vicious enemies of the U.S. and that they cannot rely on the Obama Administration to prevent such an occurrence.
The ZOA has called upon all Jewish organizations and pro-Israel groups as well as Congress to oppose this continuation of aid to the Hamas/Fatah PA under existing conditions.
Both House Foreign Affairs Chairwoman Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY), the top Democrat on the House Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, and other senior legislators already last year publicly opposed aid to the PA because of the Hamas/Fatah unity government.
U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) said that, “The reported agreement between Fatah and Hamas means that a Foreign Terrorist Organization which has called for the destruction of Israel will be part of the Palestinian Authority government. U.S. taxpayer funds should not and must not be used to support those who threaten U.S. security, our interests, and our vital ally, Israel. According to existing U.S. law, such a hybrid government cannot be a recipient of U.S. taxpayer funds because the law stipulates that the PA government must recognize the Jewish state of Israel’s right to exist, among other things. Therefore, in order to implement existing law, the U.S. must end assistance to the Palestinian Authority. By entering into this partnership with Hamas, Abu Mazen’s Palestinian leadership has shown again that it is not a partner for peace. If reports are correct, the PA would then be standing with those who want only death and destruction for Israel.”
U.S. Rep. Ackerman (D-NY) said, “The purported deal, which does not require Hamas to accept Israel’s right to exist, or the binding nature of prior Palestinian commitments, or even to require Hamas to temporarily forgo violence against Israel (as if it were some kind barbaric of addiction, or compulsion), is a recipe for failure, mixed with violence, leading to disaster. It is a ghastly mistake that I fear will be paid for in the lives of innocent Israelis … As in prior cases, the United States will be compelled by both law and decency to withhold any assistance that could fall into the hands or control or even partial control of anyone reporting to, or belonging to a terrorist entity, as is Hamas. And in the current political climate, even assistance that would otherwise have gone to parts of the Palestinian Authority untainted by terrorism may no longer be salvageable. For months, President Abbas has refused partnership with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in pursuing peace negotiations. It now appears that he is writing off partnership with the United States in helping to govern and develop Palestinian society.
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), the highest ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Aid Subcommittee said, “Unless Hamas accepts the Quartet Principles, which include renouncing violence and recognizing Israel, the formation of a unity government with Fatah will be a deathblow to the peace process. . . .A unity government with Hamas would put U.S. assistance and support at risk, based on restrictions I authored as Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations.”
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) said, “Hamas +Fatah=probable suspension of US aid to Palestinian Authority … Hamas supports terror, killed 26 American citizens” (Jennifer Rubin, ‘Congress to PA: No U.S. aid if you merge with Hamas,’ Washington Post, April 27, 2011).
Anti-U.S. and anti-Western Hamas statements:
- Hamas leader Yasser Ghalban said, “We will rule the nations, Allah willing, the USA will be conquered, Israel will be conquered, Rome and Britain will be conquered… Just as the Jews ran away from Gaza, the Americans will run from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Russians will run from Chechnya, and the Hindus will run from Kashmir, and our children will be released from Guantanamo. The prisoners will be released, Allah willing, not by peaceful means and not by agreements, but they will be released by the sword, they will be released by the gun” (June 22, 2011, ‘Videos: Statements made by Hamas officials and the media regarding Bin Laden,’ Independent Media Review Analysis, May 4, 2011).
- Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal called the killing of Osama Bin Laden an “atrocity” and Hamas issued a statement calling him a shahid [martyr] and Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal called the killing of Osama Bin Laden an “atrocity,” saying, “we most certainly condemn the murder of this Arab and Muslim Holy Warrior” (May 2, 2011, ‘Videos: Statements made by Hamas officials and the media regarding Bin Laden,’ Independent Media Review Analysis, May 4, 2011).
- Hamas’ Ahmed Bahar, Speaker of the PA legislature: “Allah, take hold of the Americans and their allies… Allah, count them and kill them to the last one and don’t leave even one.” (‘PA Leader calls for killing all Jews and Americans,’ Palestinian Media Watch, April 20, 2007).
- Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas’ Izzedine al-Qassam Martyrs Brigades: “Asked which U.S. targets Hamas would hit, Abu Abdullah replied, ‘Do you think that I can give you an answer to this question? I can say that the Middle East is full of American targets and the world has had the occasion to learn what are the weapons of the anti-American forces in the region.’” (‘Hamas threatens attacks on U.S. Terrorist warns ‘Middle East is full of American targets,’ World Net Daily, December 22, 2006).
- Hamas statement on death of Al-Qaeda’s Abbas Musab al Zarqawi: In similar vein, a Hamas statement later mourned Zarqawi: a “brother fighter… who was martyred at the hands of the savage crusade campaign which targets the Arab homeland, starting in Iraq.” (‘Who’s sad about Zarqawi?,’ Jerusalem Post, June 8, 2006); Hamas ‘Foreign Minister’ Mahmoud Zahar: “We are dead sure that assassination of any of the people (like al-Zarqawi) who are resisting will not … end the resistance.” (‘Zahar: Zarqawi’s death will not end resistance,’ Jerusalem Post, June 8, 2006).
- Hamas Leader Khaled Masha’al: “America will be defeated in Iraq. Wherever the [Islamic] nation is targeted, its enemies will be defeated, Allah willing … I say to the [European countries]: Hurry up and apologize to our nation, because if you do not, you will regret it. This is because our nation is progressing and is victorious. Do not leave a black mark in the collective memory of the nation, because our nation will not forgive you” (‘“Hamas Leader Khaled Mash’al at a Damascus Mosque: The Nation of Islam Will Sit at the Throne of the World and the West Will Be Full of Remorse – When It’s Too Late,”’ Middle East Media Research Institute, February 7, 2006).
- Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal called the killing of Osama Bin Laden an “atrocity” and Hamas issued a statement calling him a shahid [martyr] and Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal called the killing of Osama Bin Laden an “atrocity,” saying, “we most certainly condemn the murder of this Arab and Muslim Holy Warrior” (May 2, 2011, ‘Videos: Statements made by Hamas officials and the media regarding Bin Laden,’ Independent Media Review Analysis, May 4, 2011).
- Hamas spokesman Dr. Abd Al-Aziz Al-Rantisi: “I think that the West’s arrogance will lead it to its sure end if it is determined to act with aggression and terror against the Islamic nation, and that its first defeat will be in Iraq” (‘Hamas Spokesman: Iraq Must Establish a Suicide Army,’ Middle East Media Research Institute, January 8, 2003).