US envoy: Hamas spends Iran’s $100 million on terror, neglects Gaza

“Imagine what the people of Gaza could do with the $100 million Iran gives Hamas annually that Hamas uses for weapons and tunnels to attack Israel,” Greenblatt declared.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

Jason Greenblatt, President Donald Trump’s special Mideast envoy, assailed Hamas for its massive investment in terrorism and its attempts to destroy Israel, which come at the expense of its obligations to the people of Gaza.

Responding to a report that Israeli security forces recently caught a huge shipment of explosive-producing materials en route to terror groups in Gaza, Greenblatt tweeted Sunday that “Hamas should be improving the lives of those it purports to govern, but instead chooses to increase violence and cause misery for the people of Gaza.”

The materials were discovered within a shipment of medical equipment. Israel removed the explosive materials and the medical supplies were sent to Gaza, for the benefit of the civilian population.

“With such attempts, Hamas makes its priorities clear: death and terror come before the welfare of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,” the IDF’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated.

“Imagine what the people of Gaza could do with the $100 million Iran gives Hamas annually that Hamas uses for weapons and tunnels to attack Israel,” Greenblatt added.

Greenblatt then criticized Iran, which “spends almost a billion dollars a year sponsoring terrorism in Lebanon, Israel and West Bank/Gaza.”

“This blood money only increases violence and does nothing to help the Palestinian people,” Greenblatt said.

“The corrupt regime in Tehran squanders the resources of the Iranian people on military adventures throughout the region instead of investing at home and promoting peace abroad,” he noted, referring to the recent wave of country-wide protests that Iran recently experienced over the dire economic situation and government corruption there.

Greenblatt was echoing protesters who accused Tehran of investing in foreign terrorism and sabotage, rather than in the country’s economy.

Greenbelt concluded by demanding that Hamas permit the repatriation of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul’s remains, as well as the release of Israeli civilians –  Avraham Abera Mengistu, Hisham al-Sayed and Juma Ibrahim Abu Ghanima, who are believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.

Last week, Greenblatt pointed out in a tweet that “a terror tunnel costs roughly $5.9 million to build ($ that belongs to the people of Gaza).”

“Gaza needs options besides Hamas and its enablers. Time to stop pouring money into violence and hatred, and to start investing in a real future for Palestinians in Gaza,” he tweeted.