Greater than three dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to supply a categorized briefing on Turkey’s assist for Hamas, elevating considerations that the U.S.-designated terrorist group could relocate its headquarters to the NATO-allied nation.
Lawmakers despatched a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of Nationwide Intelligence Avril Haines on Thursday requesting a categorized briefing happen to debate reviews that Hamas officers expelled from Qatar are being welcomed in Turkey.
Turkish President and Folks’s Alliance’s presidential candidate Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech on the presidential palace, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, Might 28, 2023. (AP Picture/Ali Unal)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has lengthy offered public backing for Hamas’s political management and infrequently hosted conferences with the teams leaders in Ankara.
And whereas Erodgan provided muted concern over Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist assault towards Israel, the long-time Turkish chief has praised the militants as a “liberation group,” and condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “Hitler” for the large-scale destruction and dying suffered by Palestinians within the Gaza Strip.
“All through the tenure of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s relationship with Hamas
has lengthy been a problem of concern,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Reports of Hamas’s potential relocation of its headquarters to Turkey, a NATO ally, are deeply concerning and dramatically escalate existing concerns about Turkey’s relationship with the terrorist group. With these concerns in mind, we request an immediate briefing in a classified setting to discuss.”
The letter was led by Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and signed by 37 different Home members from each side of the aisle.
Successive presidential administrations have grappled with difficult ties with Turkey, a strategic protection ally that straddles Europe, the Caucuses and the Center East and controls entry between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. U.S. officers additionally acknowledge Turkey as a significant contributor to humanitarian help to thousands and thousands of Syrian refugees.
Although Ankara is a NATO outlier for sustaining relations with Moscow, Erdoğan efficiently oversaw the August prisoner swap that freed unjustly detained People and Russian political prisoners.
However many lawmakers are upset about Erdoğan’s rising authoritarianism, suppression of civil freedoms and violation of human rights; assaults towards U.S.-allied Kurds in northeast Syria; and antagonism towards Israel and provocations towards fellow-NATO ally Greece.
Turkey is so-far denying that it’s offering safe-haven to Hamas officers – an unnamed Turkish diplomatic supply dismissed reviews that members of Hamas had been planning on relocating to Turkey, Reuters reported on Monday, saying that Hamas figures solely go to the nation every now and then.
However two unnamed Israeli sources mentioned some remaining Hamas leaders in Gaza could transfer to Turkey, in keeping with Jewish Insider, a U.S.-based publication. The outlet reported that not less than two senior Hamas officers have left Qatar for Turkey, citing an Israeli diplomatic supply and a senator briefed by Israeli officers.
Hamas political officers obtained directions to go away Doha from Qatari officers in current weeks, on the request of the Biden administration. Hamas officers had headquartered within the Qatari capital on the request of the Israeli and U.S. governments when communication was mandatory – with Qatari officers serving as intermediaries.
However the U.S. referred to as to revoke the diplomatic association earlier this month, following failure to realize a deal for Hamas to launch 101 hostages the group kidnapped from southern Israel on Oct. 7, which may result in a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas within the Gaza Strip.
Of their letter, lawmakers name for Blinken and Haines to deal with the accuracy of reviews that Hamas is seeking to arrange its headquarters in Turkey. Additionally they ask for any particulars on the extent of ties between Ankara and Hamas and whether or not any materials or monetary assist is offered; and whether or not the U.S. would search extradition of Hamas officers from Turkey based mostly on U.S. legal fees introduced towards the terrorist group by American households of victims of the Oct. 7 assaults.
The lawmakers additionally increase questions over whether or not Hamas has ever deliberate terrorist assaults from Turkish soil, together with occupied areas of Syria and the Turkish-occupied territory within the Republic of Cyprus.
The lawmakers’ deal with Cyprus is notable – the island served as a strategic useful resource for the U.S. in earlier serving to evacuate Americans from Israel following the Oct. 7 assaults, and as a staging floor for supply of humanitarian support to the Gaza Strip.
However Cypriot and Israeli officers have additionally labored collectively to thwart terrorism threats on the island.
In December 2023, Cypriot authorities with the assistance of Israel reportedly arrested two Iranian nationals suspected of allegedly plotting to focus on Israelis in an assault.
Lebanese Hezbollah, the U.S.-designated terrorist group additionally backed by Iran, additionally threatened to assault Cyprus in June.
The letter from lawmakers has the endorsement of the American Hellenic Institute, a non-profit suppose tank and advocacy group based mostly in Washington D.C.
“This letter is a vital first step to addressing a important U.S. safety concern and can guarantee policymakers are knowledgeable in regards to the true extent of Turkey’s position in supporting Hamas,” Alexander Christofor, legislative director for AHI, mentioned in a press release.
Up to date: 2:03 p.m.
