No. 93

WASHINGTON, DC — American Hellenic Institute (AHI) President Nick Larigakis sent a letter this week to House Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul commending him for his recent comments regarding Turkey’s support for Hamas in an October 29 interview with Fox News.

In his interview, Chairman McCaul highlighted that Turkey is a “precarious” NATO ally, explained that President Erdogan views himself as an “Ottoman ruler,” and criticized Turkey’s support for Hamas, stating that Turkey needs to “stop this.” Chairman McCaul also mentioned Turkey’s obstruction of Sweden joining NATO.

President Larigakis responded to Chairman McCaul by stating in his letter that “we appreciate these comments, which are in line with the American Hellenic Institute’s long-standing position that Turkey is an unreliable ally.” Larigakis also urged that “all arms sales to Turkey must be blocked until Turkey stops its campaign of regional aggression and ends its support of U.S.-designated terrorist groups, including Hamas.”

AHI strongly encourages all members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to hold Turkey accountable for its support of Hamas. AHI recommends urging the U.S. Department of State to take the following actions listed in a letter sent by 47 Members of Congress to Secretary Antony Blinken on October 26, 2023:

1. Formally designate Hamas as a terrorist organization;

2. Close Hamas’s office in Istanbul and any affiliated entities operating in Turkey;

3. Revoke Turkish citizenship and confiscate Turkish passports from all Hamas officials within Turkey;

4. Expel Hamas officials from the country and prohibit their re-entry;

5. Investigate whether any Turkish banks are implicated in the financing of Hamas, report the findings of such an investigation to the U.S. Department of State, and sanction any banks involved in such financing; and

6. Investigate whether any Turkish officials were involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and report said findings to the U.S. Department of State.

Read President Larigakis’ Letter to Chairman McCaul here.

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The American Hellenic Institute is an independent non-profit Greek American public policy center and think tank that works to strengthen relations between the United States and Greece and Cyprus, and within the Greek American community.

For additional information, please contact Zac Cotronakis at (561) 529-0306 or [email protected]. For general information about the activities of AHI, please see our website at http://www.ahiworld.org.