White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby offered clarity on Thursday regarding the US stance on Hamas, affirming the group’s classification as a terrorist organization.
Kirby’s remarks came in response to inquiries about comments made by the UN’s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, who stated, “Hamas is not a terrorist group for us.”
“Hamas is a terrorist organization. We’ve said so. It is. It just is. And you don’t have to look any further than what they did on the 7th of October to see it in stark terms. And, my goodness, take a look at their manifesto, even the one that’s so-called watered down in 2017. There’s no doubt they just want to wipe Israel off the face of the map. This is a terrorist organization, pure and simple. Period,” Kirby emphasized.
When questioned whether the US had reached out to Griffiths regarding his statements, Kirby responded, “I’m not aware that we’ve done any reaching out, nor do I think we need to. We have made very clear our views of what Hamas is.”
Griffiths, serving as the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, shared his perspective during an interview with Sky News, stating, “I think it’s very difficult. I’ve worked with many many many different terrorist and insurgent groups. Hamas is not a terrorist group for us. It’s a political movement.”
Reacting to Griffiths’ remarks, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy shared a video of the interview and commented, “Martin Griffiths denies Hamas is a terrorist organization. No wonder he is abusing his power to save Hamas’ skin after the deadliest terror attack since 9/11 instead of demanding its surrender.”
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, also criticized Griffiths, asserting, “The UN’s pro-Hamas stance is finally exposed on live TV. In the words of a UN Under-Secretary-General ‘Hamas is NOT a terrorist group for us, it’s a political movement.’”
Erdan continued, highlighting the atrocities committed by Hamas and questioning Griffiths’ stance: “Is the brutal murder of hundreds of civilians, not terror? Is the systematic rape of women not terror? Is attempting Jewish genocide not terror? Ladies and gentlemen, this is the UN: a terror-excusing, Hamas-promoting, victim-blaming organization that has lost every ounce of credibility. Nothing said by the UN can be trusted or accepted.”
Directing his criticism towards Griffiths, Erdan stated, “You are no ‘humanitarian’. Sadly, you are a terror collaborator.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisroel Katz expressed his disapproval in English, stating, “Shame on him.”
In response to the controversy, Griffiths issued a clarification, posting on social media, “Just to clarify: Hamas is not on the list of groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United Nations Security Council.”
He further added, “This doesn’t make their acts of terror on 7 October any less horrific and reprehensible, as I’ve been saying all along.”
{Matzav.com}
Can we please have a moral compass that doesn’t give an inch to the evil murderers and stop counting their dead unless you are ready to place the blame where it belongs. Hamas the un and all terror supporters who are SO concerned with dead Palestinians if you are really concerned teach them to ACT alike human beings
The UN and the International Red Cross are an arm of Hamas, hellbent on killing Jews.
He meant to say.. UNRWA is a terrorist organization, it just is