WILL THE U.S. AID HAMAS?
Now that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is merging with Hamas without forcing its new partner to renounce terrorism or end its commitment to the destruction of Israel, the question is: Will the United States continue to give the PA $600 million a year in foreign aid?
For years, the United States has refused to give aid to Hamas – although much of the aid to the United Nations’ refugee agency ends up in terrorist coffers. But now the fig leaves have been stripped away and the issue is now posed starkly: Will we aid an overtly terrorist state committed to the destruction of Israel?
Republicans in the House should immediately pass a resolution cutting off aid to the new Palestinian Authority/Hamas merged entity. The question then is whether the Senate Democrats will bring it up for a vote? This issue will squarely pose the choice for so-called Democratic friends of Israel. Either they vote for aid to Hamas or they don’t. A refusal to bring the issue up for a vote or Administration pressure to block it will show Obama and his Party as the true enemy of Israel.
In merging with Hamas, the PA has lost all pretensions to moderation and is now clearly returning to its PLO terrorist past. As the Arab world erupts in turmoil, it is vital that the true friends of Israel rally round the beleaguered nation and demand an end to financial support of Hamas, directly or through the PA.
Now is the time to act.