1000 баксов за месяц: MEF Dispatch: MEF Testifies Before Congress, What Country Would Accept Gazans, and India's Approach to Hamas

пятница, 28 февраля 2025 г.

MEF Dispatch: MEF Testifies Before Congress, Will Any Country Accept Gazans, and India's Approach to Hamas

By Winfield Myers ● Feb 28, 2025

Smart Brevity^® count: 5.5 mins...1507 words

Today, we highlight Gregg Roman's Congressional testimony on USAID's use of well over $100 million taxpayer dollars to support terror-linked organizations. As a result of his testimony, lawmakers may launch criminal investigations. The relocation of Gazans remains a contentious topic, highlighting both the hypocrisy of Arab states and the undeniable fact that Palestinians have worn out their welcome wherever they have gone.

Next, we analyze the alarming shift toward normalizing jihadist groups through diplomacy and institutional contacts and warn that this practice risks strengthening jihadists and undermining global security. Finally, Turkey's new legal actions against dual nationals who fight for Israel reflect the antisemitic, anti-Israel, and Islamist policies of President Erdoğan, whose hostility to the West knows no bounds.

News: MEF Testimony Leads to USAID Terror Funding Probe; Possible Criminal Referrals

At a congressional hearing led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Gregg Roman, executive director of the Middle East Forum (MEF), urged lawmakers to launch a criminal investigation into federal officials and charities that funneled foreign aid to terror-linked organizations.

Citing an MEF report, Roman revealed that over $164 million in USAID grants ended up supporting radical groups, including entities tied to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al-Qaeda. Following his testimony, Rep. Greene pledged to consider criminal referrals to the Department of Justice.

Roman highlighted alarming cases, such as World Vision funding an Al-Qaeda-linked group and USAID grants reaching organizations with direct Hamas ties. He called for immediate reforms, including an audit of USAID, stronger vetting measures, and legislative action to ensure greater transparency and accountability. In response, Rep. Greene warned that if USAID-funded terrorism led to American deaths, her committee would push for criminal prosecutions.

To read the full press release, click here.

ICYMI: Israel Insider with Ashley Perry | February 26, 2025

Will Phase Two of Israel's hostage deal with Hamas be implemented? Who is for and who is against? What are the implications?

Ashley Perry is an advisor to the Middle East Forum's Israel office. He served as adviser to Israel's minister of foreign affairs and deputy prime minister in 2009-15, and has also worked with Israel's Ministers of Intelligence, Agriculture and Rural Development, Energy, Water and Infrastructure, Defense, Tourism, Internal Security, and Immigrant Absorption and as an advisor to The Negev Forum. Originally from the U.K., he moved to Israel in 2001. He holds a B.A. from University College London and an M.A. from Reichman University (IDC Herzliya).

To watch the full podcast episode, click here.

What Country Would Accept Relocated Gazans?

Hamas terrorists at the handover of Israeli hostages to the Red Cross. Khan Yunis, Gaza, Jan. 30, 2025. Shutterstock

By: A.J. Cacshetta

Those protesting the loudest about Trump's alleged "ethnic cleansing" plan are more interested in exploiting Gazans for the purpose of destroying Israel than helping them.

Why it matters: Gazans who don't want to fight Israelis and who have sought to leave the embattled strip of land are perhaps the world's only genuine refugees not permitted to leave a war zone.

Yet, each time Palestinians have moved to a new diaspora they have caused trouble for their hosts. Throughout the Arab and Muslim world, Palestinian options are limited by their past conduct.

The stakes: Egypt and Jordan, named by Trump as possible new homes for the Gazans, have learned their lessons and are highly unlikely to allow them to settle within their borders.

Palestinians' inability to destroy Israel and unwillingness to abandon their dream of victory have kept them stateless and condemned their children to a life of misery.

The bottom line: After eight decades of militancy and refusal to accept any deal for a state that does not eliminate the state of Israel, Palestinians find themselves unwelcome throughout the world.

To read the full article, click here.

Middle East Forum 2025 Policy Conference – additional speakers announced, discounted tickets!

Join us at the Middle East Forum's 2025 Policy Conference, taking place May 19–21 in Washington, D.C. Statecraft Reimagined will gather leading experts, diplomats, and policymakers to discuss the most urgent and complex issues shaping the future of the Middle East.

This extraordinary event is poised to be the premier Middle East policy gathering in D.C. this year, offering unparalleled insights, networking, and strategic guidance.

We are also pleased to announce that, thanks to a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, we are able to offer a select few general admission tickets at a discounted rate of $550. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Be sure to get yours now.

To register, click here.

Jihadist Diplomacy: A Silent Shift in Global Politics

Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation (left), and Taliban representative Abdul Ghani Baradar (right) sign the agreement to bring peace to Afghanistan in Doha, Qa...

By: Amine Ayoub

The normalization of jihadist groups, once considered untouchable, is becoming a concerning trend as governments and institutions engage with them under claims of pragmatism.

Why it matters: This shift risks undermining global security and counterterrorism efforts by legitimizing extremist ideologies.

The Taliban's recognition and Syria's diplomatic reintegration exemplify the dangers of normalizing jihadist elements on the world stage.

The stakes: Engaging with jihadist-linked groups can embolden their movements and inspire other extremist factions to pursue similar paths.

The involvement of major world powers in this trend highlights a dangerous prioritization of geopolitical interests over ethical considerations.

The bottom line: If left unchecked, this normalization could lead to increased insurgencies and further destabilize volatile regions, making the world less secure.

World powers must reassess their strategies to prevent further empowerment of extremist groups and uphold global security standards.

To read the full article, click here.

Turkish Nationals Fighting for Israel to Face Extensive Legal Repercussions

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya:

By: Abdullah Bozkurt

Turkey's Interior Minister announces legal actions against Turkish nationals fighting for Israel, a direct threat to Turkish Jewish citizens.

Why it matters: This marks the first official confirmation of efforts to penalize Jews with dual citizenship, revealing an escalating antisemitic campaign in Turkey.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's administration is intensifying measures, including potential criminal investigations and intelligence operations against dual nationals.

The stakes: Erdoğan's political allies are driving antisemitic initiatives, pushing laws to revoke citizenship and seize assets of dual Israeli-Turkish nationals.

Erdoğan has publicly sided with Hamas and declared Israel a national security threat, further fueling antisemitic propaganda.

The bottom line: The Erdoğan regime's actions against dual nationals perpetuate anti-Israel sentiment and strain Turkey's international relations.

These proliferating antisemitic narratives are par for the course for Erdoğan, an Islamist who has moved Turkey far from its once-secularist policies and turned it firmly against the West.

To read the full article, click here.

WATCH: Did USAID Fund Terrorism?

MEF chief editor Jim Hanson discusses the recent testimony by MEF executive director, Gregg Roman, to the House DOGE subcommittee on USAID's funding of terror-linked organizations.

Why it matters: Taxpayer money is funding organizations linked to terrorism, demonstrating a lack of oversight and accountability.

The funds reportedly reached groups in Gaza, Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, potentially undermining U.S. security interests.
The revelations could lead to criminal investigations and policy reforms to prevent future misuse of funds.

What they're saying: "There was nothing about the Biden administration's policy towards the war in Gaza that made the slightest bit of sense," Hanson stated, pointing to administrative failures in managing foreign aid.

The stakes: With global security at risk, there is a pressing need for transparent fund management and stringent vetting processes to ensure aid doesn't support harmful entities.

To watch the full segment, click here.

India Must Declare Hamas a Terrorist Organization

India and Israel ties strengthened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist government. Shutterstock

By: Abhinav Pandya

While Hamas leaders shared a platform with Kashmiri jihadists, India avoids designating Hamas as a terrorist group, exposing a critical security oversight.

Why it matters: The connections between Palestinian Islamist networks and Kashmir-centric jihadist groups pose a significant threat to regional and global security.

India's reluctance to recognize these ties undermines its credibility in combating transnational terrorism.

The stakes: Linkages between South and West Asian militant groups, such as Hamas training in Afghanistan, highlight the need for a unified stance against terrorism.

Despite strengthened ties under Modi's government, India's historical bias against Israel persists, an artifact from earlier decades when India saw itself as a leader of the Global South.

The bottom line: New Delhi must adapt to modern geopolitical realities by officially designating Hamas as a terrorist group to reinforce its stance against extremism.