A bipartisan group of 30 senators called on Thursday for a U.N. Security Council resolution designating Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Led by Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and addressed to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the letter says that the lack of a U.N. terrorism designation of Hamas has created loopholes in U.S. sanctions against the terrorist group.
“The lack of a unified voice among the international community risks eroding the U.N.’s credibility in response to one of the worst terrorist attacks in history,” according to the letter. “We are also concerned that a lack of U.N. sanctions enables Hamas to divert humanitarian aid for malicious intent, which deprives innocent Palestinian civilians of crucial assistance while simultaneously strengthening offensive capabilities used to attack Israel.”
Based on UNSC resolutions, the United Nations currently maintains a sanctions list for Al-Qaeda and ISIS but does not have a wider list of designated terrorist organizations.
In October, Russia and China voted against a Canadian amendment in the General Assembly to condemn Hamas explicitly for the Oct. 7 massacre, suggesting that they would likely veto a Hamas terrorism resolution at the Security Council.
Speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting about Gaza on Friday, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan said the world body was being compromised by Hamas.
“While Hamas must be held fully accountable, there is another body, sadly, that is complicit: the U.N.,” he said. “This council is being spoon-fed lies by the very same terrorist organization that deliberately murdered and maimed thousands of innocent Israelis just 34 days ago.”
