Despite the White House’s vocal expressions of support for Israel following the recent Hamas attack, it is evident that they are not taking all the necessary and possible actions.
Many urge President Biden to re-impose sanctions on the $6 billion in unfrozen funds as part of an Iranian prisoner exchange agreement.
In a letter addressed to President Biden on Monday, 18 Senate Republicans expressed their steadfast support for Israel, referring to it as the United States’ primary ally in the Middle East.
They called upon the U.S. Department of State to freeze the accounts in Qatar containing the $6 billion in funds released from South Korean accounts in September.
The decision to freeze these funds seems like a straightforward and logical course of action, leaving many wondering why it hasn’t been executed yet. Furthermore, there is growing skepticism that it will ever happen. On Tuesday, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan declined to commit to implementing this measure despite numerous indications of Iran’s involvement and support for the recent events.
A reporter confronted Sullivan, highlighting Iran’s complicity and support for the situation, and questioned whether it justified refreezing the $6 billion that the U.S. had helped release for Iran. Sullivan responded, “We’ve not yet had a dollar of that $6 billion spent, and I will leave it at that.”
This development follows revelations by respected media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, which have confirmed Iran’s financial and logistical role in planning and executing the recent events involving Hamas. Despite this mounting evidence, the White House denies any connection between Iran’s actions and the attacks on Israel.
In a report published Monday night, The Washington Post underscored that Iran played a “key support” role in orchestrating and financing the attack. The report revealed that the Palestinian militants behind the unexpected assault on Israel had been planning it for at least a year, with substantial support from Iranian allies. This support included military training, logistical assistance, and significant financial contributions for weaponry.
President Biden addressed the attack in a speech on Tuesday, acknowledging the loss of American lives and the hostage situation. However, he did not mention Iran in his remarks.
The White House continues to reject any association between Iran and the attacks on Israel, indicating a reluctance to take any actions against Iran that would acknowledge such a connection. Critics argue that the administration is treating this as a public relations issue rather than a matter of national security, raising doubts about whether they will ever take decisive action against Iran.
