TEL AVIV – Following the indictment of three Hamas and Islamic State terrorists for the attempted assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Washington Post published an article in which it claims the White House was aware of Iran’s role in the assassination plot and its continued support of terrorism in Israel.
Hazem Ziad Amran Sandouqa, a 22-year-old resident of Jerusalem’s Old City, and Fahdi Daoud Muhammad Abu Qaian, a 19-year-old Bedouin Israeli from the Negev and a supporter of the Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula, along with Hamas activist Ahmad Jamal Mousa Azzam, 24, planned to plant explosives in the Jerusalem Payis Arena at a time Netanyahu would be scheduled to speak at the site. The terrorists also had plans to use suicide bombings to kill innocent Israelis.
According to the Washington Post, Iran supports Hamas in the Gaza Strip and analysts believe it is supporting IS in the Sinai against the Egyptian government as well. A senior Western intelligence official claimed that during the past few months Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have transferred tens of millions of dollars to Hamas’s Izz al-Din al-Qassam brigades. Intelligence reports show that the funds have been transferred on the direct orders of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, who outlined an annual budget to finance Hamas’s military operations.
Former senior IDF intelligence officer and Iran specialist Major (res.) Dan Feferman said, “By directly supporting Hamas in Gaza and indirectly supporting ISIS in the Sinai, Iran is able to gain a foothold against Israel and Egypt to destabilize them, undermine America’s regional influence, create another Iranian power base in a Sunni-dominated region, and project its power and influence in its pursuit of regional hegemony.”
The Washington Post claimed that President Barack Obama is well aware of Iran’s support of terror groups operating in and around Israel, and its agreement with the Islamic Republic will enable the country to funnel billions of dollars to these terror groups:
“As the Obama administration pushes full-tilt to complete the nuclear ‘deal’ with Iran that will allow the Islamic Republic to acquire nuclear weapons a few years down the road, Israel has found out what Iran will do with the billions it stands to receive under the internationally negotiated agreement.”
The article concluded: “The White House obviously has access to this intelligence, understands that Iran is actively supporting terrorism in Israel, supporting the Islamic State in Egypt, and is involved in the attempted assassination of the Israeli Prime Minister.
“No wonder Prime Minister Netanyahu was so rightly concerned about Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. It also raises questions why the Obama administration is hell bent to get sanctions relief to Iran.”