How U.S. taxpayer funds can ‘flow freely’ to Hamas and Hezbollah
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U.S. taxpayer dollars are able to ‘flow freely’ to Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah because the United Nations Security Council has failed to label them as ‘terrorists,’ warn top security experts. Hamas and Hezbollah are not sanctioned or labeled as terror groups by the UN Security Council. However, other well-known terrorist organizations Al Qaeda and ISIS have been officially designated, which cuts off their ability to get foreign assistance. Richard Goldberg, senior advisor at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, tells DailyMail.com that U.S. taxpayer dollars to the UN are going directly into the hands of terrorists as a result.
![That is especially alarming as Hamas in Gaza launched a brutal attack on Israel over a week ago, killing over 1,300 innocent civilians and at least 29 Americans. But despite their horrific atrocities, including beheading babies and raping women, the Iran-backed terror group is considered 'legitimate' by the UN - which has cleared the way for the organization to receive worldwide assistance, says Goldberg. 'The UN considers Hamas a legitimate political movement, not a vicious terrorist organization. The same goes for Hezbollah. That means US taxpayer dollars handed over to the UN can flow freely into Hamas hands in Gaza, and they do every day through the UN's so-called Palestinian refugee agency,' Goldberg told DailyMail.com.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/16/19/76622753-12637197-That_is_especially_alarming_as_Hamas_in_Gaza_launched_a_brutal_a-a-247_1697482493216.jpg)
That is especially alarming as Hamas in Gaza launched a brutal attack on Israel over a week ago, killing over 1,300 innocent civilians and at least 29 Americans. But despite their horrific atrocities, including beheading babies and raping women, the Iran-backed terror group is considered ‘legitimate’ by the UN – which has cleared the way for the organization to receive worldwide assistance, says Goldberg. ‘The UN considers Hamas a legitimate political movement, not a vicious terrorist organization. The same goes for Hezbollah. That means US taxpayer dollars handed over to the UN can flow freely into Hamas hands in Gaza, and they do every day through the UN’s so-called Palestinian refugee agency,’ Goldberg told DailyMail.com.
![The UN has a 'Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East' (UNRWA) agency that works to support the 'relief and human development' of Palestinian refugees. The agency received over $15 million from partnering UN countries in 2021 and it lists the United States as a 'top government donor' on its website. Goldberg said that the Biden administration has given roughly $1 billion to the UNRWA, which spends about 38 percent of its budget on Gaza. Therefore, the U.S. has subsidized Hamas to the tune of $380 million since Biden took office and restarted funding to UNRWA, he said. 'If the UN Security Council won't add Hamas and Hezbollah to its formal list of terrorist groups, we need to demand a halt to all UN bodies that enrich and embolden them,' he continued. Goldberg formally served in the Trump administration as the National Security Council Director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/16/19/76622773-12637197-The_UN_has_a_Relief_and_Works_Agency_for_Palestine_Refugees_in_t-a-246_1697482493133.jpg)
The UN has a ‘Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’ (UNRWA) agency that works to support the ‘relief and human development’ of Palestinian refugees. The agency received over $15 million from partnering UN countries in 2021 and it lists the United States as a ‘top government donor’ on its website. Goldberg said that the Biden administration has given roughly $1 billion to the UNRWA, which spends about 38 percent of its budget on Gaza. Therefore, the U.S. has subsidized Hamas to the tune of $380 million since Biden took office and restarted funding to UNRWA, he said. ‘If the UN Security Council won’t add Hamas and Hezbollah to its formal list of terrorist groups, we need to demand a halt to all UN bodies that enrich and embolden them,’ he continued. Goldberg formally served in the Trump administration as the National Security Council Director for Countering Iranian Weapons of Mass Destruction.
![Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley - who is also running for president in 2024 - repeatedly pressed the organization to formally list Hamas as a terrorist group when she held her position. Haley slammed the UN in an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com Monday, saying the decision to formally label the terrorist group should be easy. 'It should be easy to condemn a bloodthirsty organization that kills babies, rapes women, and burns whole families. Yet, the UN still refuses to call Hamas what they are—terrorists.' 'We must always take a side when it comes to good vs. evil and we will never stop calling out the shameful anti-Israel bias at the UN,' Haley continued. In June 2018, Haley introduced a resolution that would have designated Hamas as a terror organization, but the U.S. was the only country that backed the motion. Not to be deterred, Haley successfully pressured the General Assembly to hold a vote to label Hamas as a terrorist group.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/16/19/76613605-12637197-Former_U_S_Ambassador_to_the_UN_Nikki_Haley_who_is_also_running_-a-248_1697482493230.jpg)
Former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley – who is also running for president in 2024 – repeatedly pressed the organization to formally list Hamas as a terrorist group when she held her position. Haley slammed the UN in an exclusive statement to DailyMail.com Monday, saying the decision to formally label the terrorist group should be easy. ‘It should be easy to condemn a bloodthirsty organization that kills babies, rapes women, and burns whole families. Yet, the UN still refuses to call Hamas what they are—terrorists.’ ‘We must always take a side when it comes to good vs. evil and we will never stop calling out the shameful anti-Israel bias at the UN,’ Haley continued. In June 2018, Haley introduced a resolution that would have designated Hamas as a terror organization, but the U.S. was the only country that backed the motion. Not to be deterred, Haley successfully pressured the General Assembly to hold a vote to label Hamas as a terrorist group.
![The amendment narrowly passed, but due to a last-minute procedural change requiring two-third of the majority to back the measure, it ended up failing. Biden's current UN Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also has commented on anti-Israel bias at the organization. She condemned Hamas for the 'horrors' committed by the 'terrorist group' whose 'stated purpose is to kill Jews' speaking at a solidarity event for Israel at American Jewish Committee headquarters in New York last week. 'The path of terror' by Hamas does nothing to improve the lives of any civilians, she continued.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/16/19/76339111-12637197-The_amendment_narrowly_passed_but_due_to_a_last_minute_procedura-a-243_1697482493040.jpg)
The amendment narrowly passed, but due to a last-minute procedural change requiring two-third of the majority to back the measure, it ended up failing. Biden’s current UN Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also has commented on anti-Israel bias at the organization. She condemned Hamas for the ‘horrors’ committed by the ‘terrorist group’ whose ‘stated purpose is to kill Jews’ speaking at a solidarity event for Israel at American Jewish Committee headquarters in New York last week. ‘The path of terror’ by Hamas does nothing to improve the lives of any civilians, she continued.
![Thomas-Greenfield also acknowledged that for too long, Israel has been 'unfairly targeted in the UN system.' 'Now is the moment to stand in solidarity with Israel,' she continued. 'We must tell the stories of those who were executed, who were raped,' she said. DailyMail.com reached out to a spokesperson for Thomas-Greenfield regarding whether she will press the UN to extend the terrorist designation to Hezbollah and Hamas in light of the gruesome attacks in Israel.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/16/19/76339107-12637197-Thomas_Greenfield_also_acknowledged_that_for_too_long_Israel_has-a-244_1697482493130.jpg)
Thomas-Greenfield also acknowledged that for too long, Israel has been ‘unfairly targeted in the UN system.’ ‘Now is the moment to stand in solidarity with Israel,’ she continued. ‘We must tell the stories of those who were executed, who were raped,’ she said. DailyMail.com reached out to a spokesperson for Thomas-Greenfield regarding whether she will press the UN to extend the terrorist designation to Hezbollah and Hamas in light of the gruesome attacks in Israel.
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