U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., whose name continues to gain attention as a possible gubernatorial candidate, called on the U.S. Treasury Department to ramp up its efforts against Hamas.
DeSantis, who chairs the U.S. House National Security Subcommittee, teamed up with U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-NJ, to send a letter to U.S. Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin asking for information on the a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Qatar and urging both nations to do more against Hamas, especially as Iran continues to support that organization.
Getting almost 20 members of Congress to sign the letter, DeSantis and Gottheimer also stressed that Qatar has been helping Hamas. They also asked in the letter for the Treasury Department to report to Congress on the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center's (TFTC) efforts.
The Northeast Florida Republican explained why he sent the letter on Monday.
“Terrorist organizations such as Hamas are dependent on Qatar to fund their illicit activities and harbor extremists,” DeSantis said. “We will never be able to effectively combat terrorism in the Middle East unless these financial lifelines are severed. The United States must make it clear to Qatar that continuing to prop up Hamas and other terrorist groups will result in severe consequences. I am looking forward to hearing Secretary Mnuchin detail how his department is working with Qatar to counter the financing of violent terrorist organizations.”
“As a member of the House Committee on Financial Service’s Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, I am committed to cracking down on Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups that threaten the U.S. and Israel and further destabilize the region,” Gottheimer said. “We need a strong plan from the U.S. Treasury Department and each of our allies in Middle East to stomp out terrorism and cut off Hamas at the source.”
Three other Florida Republicans--U.S. Reps. Carlos Curbelo, Mario Diaz-Balart and Brian Mast--also signed the letter.
First elected to Congress in 2012, DeSantis has been active against Hamas during his three terms in the House. In the summer of 2014, DeSantis was critical of the Obama administration’s continued funding of Hamas.
“Why is the State Department so intent on continuing to fund the Hamas-Fatah unity government?” DeSantis asked in July 2014. “Hamas has long been officially designated as a terrorist organization, yet the administration feebly claims that the unity government is simply a technocratic government in which Hamas doesn't exercise ‘undue’ influence -- even though a torrent of terrorist rocket fire is raining down on Israeli civilian population centers. This position is not only at variance with common sense, it is contrary to the public position of 88 out of 100 U.S. senators, not to mention the wishes of the American people.
“Hamas not only engages in terrorism but actually uses its own civilians as human shields. The contrast is stark: whereas Israel is engaging Hamas in order to protect its own people, Hamas is willing to endanger civilians in the Gaza Strip if it means being able to launch more terror attacks and to score more propaganda points,” DeSantis added. “The U.S. taxpayer should not be forced to underwrite Hamas' campaign of terror.”
DeSantis also introduced the “Palestinian Accountability Act” which would withhold funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Authority until it recognizes Israel, removes Hamas from authority and takes a stand against terrorism.
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