Is USAID still operating under a terrorism funding exemption license?
The Biden administration has rolled out some new sanctions on Hamas and other terrorist groups.
“Today’s action underscores the United States’ commitment to dismantling Hamas’s funding networks by deploying our counterterrorism sanctions authorities and working with our global partners to deny Hamas the ability to exploit the international financial system,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.
“We will not hesitate to take action to further degrade Hamas’s ability to commit horrific terrorist attacks by relentlessly targeting its financial activities and streams of funding,” he added.
Among the individuals targeted includes Khaled Qaddoumi, described as Hamas’s liaison to the Iranian government, as well as a number of Iranian military members who trained Hamas militants.
Also sanctioned was the Al-Ansar Charity Association, which the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said funds the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Hamas-affiliated militant group.
The Biden administration and Democrats have been reluctant to sanction the IRGC, these sanctions target some IRGC figures. And while this is good, Biden announced $100 million in aid to Gaza going through USAID. which, according to a statement by Samantha Power, will work with “our trusted UN, International Committee of the Red Cross, and Red Crescent partners are ready to distribute to those in need.”
The Red Crescent locally has a history of terror ties. There’s nothing trusted about it. Or the UN.
Rep. James and the House Oversight Committee are asking some tough questions.
In a letter to USAID administrator Samantha Power, Republicans on the oversight panel led by chair James Comer (R-Ky.) requested that by Nov. 7 the agency provide materials showing how it has assessed the risks that aid could be diverted.
“It is vital to fully account for U.S. funds intended for humanitarian purposes to ensure they do not directly or indirectly fund terrorism,” the GOP lawmakers wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by Axios.
Among the documents requested are any reports since 2020 detailing aid that was or could be diverted by terrorist groups and the assessments of a USAID body that oversees risk management.
That is crucial because, documents have revealed that the State Department knew already that it’s high risk.
In 2021, State Department officials warned that “there is a high risk Hamas could potentially derive indirect, unintentional benefit from U.S. assistance to Gaza” and asked for a special exemption from sanctions on funding terrorists.
In 2022, Biden met with Palestinian Authority terror leader Mahmoud Abbas and boasted that, “I reversed the policies of my predecessor and resumed aid to the Palestinians — more than a half a billion dollars in 2021.”
Samantha Power and USAID aren’t denying that Hamas can benefit, only offering a toothless warning.
“We have been clear that any interference by Hamas will jeopardize the continuation of that life-saving assistance,” a USAID spokesperson told Axios.
Note the language carefully. Not ‘cut off’, “jeopardize”. What does jeopardize mean? Absolutely nothing. Biden has made it clear that Gaza aid is a priority. It’s not going to be cut off. Samantha Power offers no meaningful and clear consequences for cutting off the aid. And you can’t sanction Hamas and fund Hamas at the same time.
The real tell will be the information that Rep. Comer is searching for and the question of whether USAID to Gaza is still operating under a special terrorist funding exemption license.
If it is, that’s an admission that we’re still funding Hamas.
libertyORdeath says
The “Palestinians” cannot survive without international aid. They have produced NOTHING but anti-Israel propaganda for over 60 years.
The “Palestinian” cause could be shut down in one month if the Western nations that used to oppose jihad terrorism had the will to do it.
Cut off the aid and allow Israel to blockade Gaza and Judea-Samaria for a while and poof, the “Palestinian” problem can no longer exist.
They have no food without aid.
They have no water without Israel.
They have no electricity without Israel.
They have no weapons without their muslim neighbors.
Cut them off and make them choose.
Which do they like better – water, food and electricity…OR jihad?
Wellington says
+1
Sam says
It’s inhuman.You are forcing Palestinian Arabs to work!!!
Shame on you
PRCS says
Funny.
PRCS says
“Cut them off and make them choose.
Which do they like better – water, food and electricity…OR jihad?”
Way too logical.
Wellington says
Not surprising since Joe Biden doesn’t know what the Hell he is doing. He never did. He arguably functions as the single best example of the most foolish person in American history who has climbed, a la Disraeli, to the top of the greasy pole. Even Obama, moral moron that he is, wasn’t as bad as Biden.
Biden has “slipped through the cracks” to be where he is today. He has no virtues, no merit, and effs up virtually everything he gets his hands on. The man is a chronic liar, a creep, horribly corrupt, a doofus, a narcissist and even a traitor. He is a continuing disaster in the making. He has wrong written all over him.
PRCS says
The Peter Principle re-labeled.
tgusa says
Biden is hiding in his basement to avoid all the Hitler rally’s going on in leftist enclaves.
PRCS says
Wonder how he’ll justify more weekends at the beach.
Scotsman48 says
WHY is American taxpayers money going outside America.. Thats what i would really like to know…
Why is Uncle Sam sending massive amounts of cash to countries that openly hate us while actual Americans sleep on the Sidewalks from sea to Shining Sea?.
This cannot be a trick question…. can it ?.
PRCS says
As Senator Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and perhaps others have said, “Why do we need to send money to countries that hate us? They can hate us for free.”
Hudders. says
.
Can anyone be surprised?
We know the compromised complicit US establishment has been overtly funding their evil plans.
It’s no secret!
The main names have been known for some time now.. ie: Kerry, Obama; Biden, etc.
(They should be arrested/tried for treason & war crimes immediately.)
The financial trail means many in the current US administration, are also therefore knowingly/willingly/happily funding attacks against Israel & supporting other murderous islamic terrorist groups that latch onto facilitator Iran’s unholy teat for sustenance.
However…..they can’t escape judgement for ever.
‘…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’
Goudsmit Linda says
Biden is sanctioning Hamas while funding Hama. Of course he is – the word “sanction” has two opposite meanings, and its dualism is the essence of the Biden/Obama regime.
OLD GUY says
Doing any kind of business or aid with terrorist groups should be illegal, that includes sending foreign aid to countries that continually are or have supported terrorist. Is there NO common sense in Washington D.C.? An idiot knows that if you send millions of dollars to one of these muslim/islamic run countries the money not going to help the needy people but will end up in the leaderships pockets and will fund terrorist organizations, so STOP it already.