(Weekly Standard) Jonathan Schanzer - Palestinian news sources reported this month that Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan promised $300 million to the Gaza-based terrorist organization Hamas. According to the Arabic daily al-Hayat, the group's external leaders are fleeing Damascus. Egypt, Tunisia, and Qatar have all reportedly considered hosting Hamas' external headquarters, but each has a generally risk-averse foreign policy, under which the terrorist group would be an undue liability. In the end, Turkish patronage of Hamas is unlikely. Hamas would destroy whatever remains of its relationship with Iran by moving into regional rival Turkey's orbit. If Hamas remains financially hobbled and homeless, after 24 years of violence, the terror group may have little choice but to bend. The writer, vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, is a former terrorism analyst at the U.S. Treasury.
2011-12-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive