Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
Hamas leader Ismail HaniyehFlash 90

A number of United States representatives have initiated a campaigned aimed at asking fellow members of Congress to sign a letter asking Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S., Mohammed Bin Abdullah Al-Rumaihi, to address “serious allegations” regarding the country’s relationship with Hamas, the JNS news agency reported.

U.S. Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and John Barrow (D-GA) are recruiting members of Congress to sign the letter after Qatar reportedly pledged more than $400 million to the Hamas terrorist organization in October 2012 during a visit to Gaza by Qatar’s ruling emir at the time, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.

“As you know, longstanding, strategic bilateral relations between the United States and Qatar, including a strong defense pact, are of critical importance to both countries. However, we believe that Qatar’s relationship with Hamas empowers, legitimizes, and bolsters an organization committed to violence and hatred,” a draft of the letter to Al-Rumaihi states, according to a copy obtained by JNS.org.

In March 2012, the Emiri Court in funded a lavish wedding for Palestinian terrorists who were exiled to Qatar as part of the prisoner exchange deal for Israeli captive Gilad Shalit.

Hamas’ soon to be ex-chief Khaled Meshaal and Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi were among those who spoke at the occasion.

“Failure [by Qatar] to condemn such brazen incitement undermines our shared interest of regional stability and prospects for a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace treaty,” the congressional letter says.

Despite its tiny geographical size, Qatar has sought to punch above its weight in the Middle East. It is one of the main backers of the Syrian rebel movement, and is the chief patron of the global Muslim Brotherhood movement, which has seen a  recent resurgence in Egypt and Syria in particular. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Back in March, Israeli scholar Dr. Mordechai Kedar revealed that the Qatari government had announced a one billion dollar fund to Islamize Jerusalem, although to date the funds have apparently not yet materialised.