Congress members from both sides of the aisle have demanded a classified briefing so they can better understand the expanding relationship between the government of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Hamas terrorist group.
Some 39 representatives sent a letter on Nov. 21 to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, expressing their questions and the need to know more.
“We are alarmed by recent reports that senior members of Hamas’s leadership have relocated to Turkey with the intent of establishing a headquarters there,” the legislators wrote. “We have serious concerns about the security implications of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member hosting, and potentially aiding, Hamas, a U.S. and E.U.-designated foreign terrorist organization.”
They requested that “with these concerns in mind, we request an immediate classified briefing for members of Congress on the threats to U.S. national security posed by Turkey’s growing relationship with Hamas.” Questions they want answered include “Are the reports that Hamas’s senior leadership relocated to Turkey accurate? Are the reports that Hamas intends to establish its headquarters in Turkey accurate?”
The letter’s signatories include Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Don Davis (D-N.C.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Kathy Manning (D-N.C.) and Rob Menendez (D-N.J.).
Other House members who signed on are Reps. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Max Miller (R-Ohio), Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.), Zach Nunn (R-Iowa), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Haley Stevens (D-Mich.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Norma Torres (D-Calif.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), David Trone (D-Md.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.).
The lawmakers received the support of the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, American Hellenic Institute, Jewish Institute for National Security of America and FDD Action.
Julie Fishman Rayman, AJC’s managing director of policy and political affairs, called it “outrageous to see reports that President Erdoğan has allowed Hamas leadership safe passage to his country. Hamas leaders deserve isolation, not legitimacy, especially from a member of the NATO alliance.”
FDD Action advocated greater action to address the Turkish-Hamas partnership, saying “Turkey has emboldened Hamas by hosting its leadership and permitting terror cells to operate within its territory. The U.S. must now make it clear to Erdoğan that his deliberate facilitation of Hamas will carry serious consequences. FDD Action supports efforts to hold Turkey accountable for sanctions evasion, money laundering and terror financing on behalf of Hamas.”
