US seeks to choke terrorist funding

The United States has called on Gulf Arab states to help clamp down on a suspected increase in fundraising by Hamas terrorists after their deadly attack on Israel this month.

Gaza terrorists have fired unrelenting rocket barrages into Israel since the conflict started.

A previously scheduled meeting of the Riyadh-based Terrorist Financing Targeting Center — a body formed in 2017 including the U.S., Saudi Arabia and five other Gulf Arabic states — was brought forward to Monday this week from next month, according to the U.S. Treasury.

At the meeting, U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, urged Gulf Cooperation Council member states to share intelligence that could be used to impose sanctions unilaterally or jointly against individuals and entities.

He said the aim is to stop any attempt by Hamas to leverage its Oct. 7 attack to amass donations and other funds.

“This moment should bring a profound sense of urgency, clarity and purpose to the work that we do,” Nelson said in his remarks at the meeting. “The ability to act — to cut off the financial flows that feed terrorism — is a duty we all share.”

Nelson assured his counterparts that legitimate humanitarian aid to Gaza, such as food, water and medicine, would not be affected by any new sanctions.

After the meeting in Saudi Arabia, Nelson traveled to the Qatari capital of Doha, where many of Hamas’ political leaders are based.

Since its inception, Hamas has received political and financial support from the gas-rich Gulf emirate, which is also a close U.S. ally that has been lauded by Washington for its role in mediating the release of Americans imprisoned in Iran and by Hamas in Gaza.

The Biden administration is asking its Gulf Arab allies to look as closely as possible at the operations of previously sanctioned Hamas-linked charities and entities in their jurisdictions as well as any suspicious activities by newly created ones, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the delicate discussions underway.

Qatari officials declined to comment. Saudi officials did not respond to a request for comment.

“The UAE is committed to combating illegal financial activities such as money laundering and financing of terrorism,” a UAE official said.