Nadler Urges Putin to Cut off Aid to Hamas

“Hamas’s mission is the destruction of the State of Israel, and its methods include wholesale violence against innocent civilians,” Congressman Nadler wrote in a letter to Putin.  “To fund that regime is to legitimize terrorism against innocent people.”

Hamas won a large majority in the recent Palestinian elections, filling the ranks of the Palestinian Authority (PA) with operatives loyal to what the United States and the EU consider a terrorist organization.

But President Putin seems to take a different view of Hamas.  The Washington Post reports that Putin said Tuesday: “Our position on Hamas is different from that of the United States and Western Europe . . . The Russian Foreign Ministry has never regarded Hamas as a terrorist organization.”  These and other comments indicated that Russia will continue to provide assistance to the Palestinian Authority. 

In his letter, Nadler reminded Putin of Hamas’s grim work:

“Hamas has been responsible for more than 425 terrorist attacks since the start of the second Intifada in the fall of 2000. These attacks have resulted in the deaths of 377 people, including approximately 27 Americans since 1993.  The Russian Federation should not give money to a government that supports terrorist attacks against Israel.”

Congressman Nadler will write President Bush to urge the US to press the point with Russia. 

The full text of Congressman Nadler’s letter follows: 

February 2, 2006 

President Vladimir Putin
The Kremlin, Moscow
Via facsimile: +7 095 206 07 66 / 206 24 64

Dear President Putin:

I write to urge you to halt all aid to the Palestinian government as long as it includes members of Hamas or any other terrorist group that has not renounced violence.  Hamas’s mission is the destruction of the State of Israel, and its methods include wholesale violence against Israeli civilians.  To fund that regime is to legitimize terrorism against innocent people.

As you know, Hamas has been responsible for more than 425 terrorist attacks since the start of the second Intifada in the fall of 2000.  These attacks have resulted in the deaths of 377 people, including approximately 27 Americans since 1993.  The Russian Federation should not give money to a government that supports terrorist attacks against Israel.

Hamas’s actions and covenant directly reject a diplomatic and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and its electoral win will likely lead to the end of the Roadmap.  In order to keep the Roadmap alive, Hamas must publicly acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as a free, Jewish state, denounce terrorism and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, halt anti-Israel incitement, and commit itself to the Roadmap.  The logical consequence of Hamas’s failure to follow these civilized principles must be a freeze on foreign aid from the international community.

I urge the Russian Federation to withhold all aid to the Palestinian Authority until the Hamas-led government renounces terrorism, recognizes the State of Israel, and adheres itself to the Roadmap. 

                                                            Sincerely,
   

Jerrold Nadler
Member of the United States Congress

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