Politico: Bipartisan group targets Turkey

EXCLUSIVE: BIPARTISAN GROUP TARGETS TURKEY

A bipartisan group of more than 40 lawmakers, led by Reps. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), sent a letter Thursday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanding the department hold the Turkish government accountable for supporting the operations of Hamas.

The signers “urge the United States government to employ the full spectrum of its diplomatic and national security tools to sever any political, logistical, and financial links between Turkey and Hamas that enable Hamas to commit atrocious acts of terrorism against Israel,” the letter reads. “Accordingly, we urge you to demand that Turkey act against Hamas immediately and without equivocation.”

This comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Hamas a “liberation group, mujahideen waging a battle to protect its lands and people” in remarks Wednesday to members of his ruling party in Ankara.

The Hellenic Caucus, Armenian Caucus, Israel Allies Caucus and Congressional Hellenic Israel Alliance Caucus condemned Erdogan’s refusal to “call Hamas a terrorist organization,” adding “Hamas is a terrorist group committed to murdering Jews and destroying Israel and any suggestion otherwise is appalling.”

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