US lawmakers request classified briefing on Turkey’s ties to Hamas
More than three dozen Democratic and Republican lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to offer a classified briefing on Turkey’s support for Hamas, raising concerns that the U.S.-designated terrorist group may relocate its headquarters to the NATO-allied country, The Hill reports.
Lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Thursday requesting a classified briefing take place to discuss reports that Hamas officials expelled from Qatar are being welcomed in Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has long provided public backing for Hamas’s political leadership and often hosted meetings with the groups leaders in Ankara.
And while Erodgan offered muted concern over Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack against Israel, the long-time Turkish leader has praised the militants as a “liberation group,” and condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “Hitler” for the large-scale destruction and death suffered by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
“Throughout the tenure of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey’s relationship with Hamas
has long been an issue of concern,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Reports of Hamas’s potential relocation of its headquarters to Turkey, a NATO ally, are deeply concerning and dramatically escalate existing concerns about Turkey’s relationship with the terrorist group. With these concerns in mind, we request an immediate briefing in a classified setting to discuss.”
The letter was led by Reps. Dan Goldman (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), and signed by 37 other House members from both sides of the aisle.