Released by United States Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana – November 13, 2023
“. . . the lack of UN sanctions on Hamas enables them to bolster their capabilities by exploiting international financial channels, including accessing financial systems and soliciting donations from charities.”
WASHINGTON DC – Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Jacklyn Rosen (D-Nev.) in urging the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Linda Thomas-Greenfield, to bring a resolution to the UN Security Council recognizing and imposing sanctions on Hamas as a terrorist organization.
“Recent events have demonstrated that Hamas’ actions, tactics, and stated goals are in many ways indistinguishable from Al Qaeda, ISIS, and other terrorist organizations the United Nations (UN) has sanctioned. Therefore, we write to urge you to bring a resolution to the UN Security Council recognizing and imposing sanctions on Hamas as a terrorist organization,” the senators wrote.
“Hamas terrorists have committed and continue to commit abhorrent, grizzly attacks that not only impact Israelis but also directly impact Americans citizens, with at least 32 Americans killed and countless more held [captive] as a result of the terrorist attack on October 7. In fact, Hamas hostages come from 25 countries around the world. Hamas’ reign of terror is not just an Israeli problem, but one that impacts us all,” they continued.
The senators raised concerns about the consequences of the UN not recognizing Hamas as a terrorist organization, including a lack of a unified voice among the international community in responding to one of the worst terrorist attacks in history.
“The absence of UN sanctions on Hamas is a glaring loophole, circumventing U.S. financial controls, such as the rigorous standards set by the U.S. Department of Treasury, potentially allowing Hamas to evade U.S. sanctions. Furthermore, the lack of UN sanctions on Hamas enables them to bolster their capabilities by exploiting international financial channels, including accessing financial systems and soliciting donations from charities,” the lawmakers said.
The letter states that Hamas diverts aid for civilians to fund terrorist operations by:
- Imposing “taxes” on humanitarian consignments at border checkpoints.
- Seizing a segment of donated goods intended for Palestinian civilians and later selling them illicitly for financial gain.
- Seizing donated supplies, as Hamas did on Oct. 16, 2023, when the group took fuel meant for Gazan hospitals from a UN Relief and Works Agency site.
- Dismantling and repurposing humanitarian facilities, like water and sewage components, to create rockets and missiles, some of which misfire and land in Gaza, causing Palestinian civilian casualties and posing threats to aid workers.
The full letter is available here.
