Washington, D.C.— U.S. Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY) and U.S. Congressman Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, urging the Department to designate the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) a terrorist organization. Documents published in recent news reports show the role that the PCPA working with Hamas to organize a flotilla of illicit resources sent to Gaza that bypassed a blockade of shipments coming into the area. Israel designated the PCPA a terrorist organization in January of 2022.
“We write to encourage the Treasury Department to designate the Palestinian Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) as an affiliate of Hamas and a Specially Designated Terrorist Group under Executive Order 13224,” their letter read in-part.
“Now, new documents uncovered by Israeli forces in Gaza, and released by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, offer new insight into the group’s terrorist ties,” the letter continued. “These documents include an official letter from Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh and a roster of senior PCPA operatives, conclusively establishing the organization’s ties to Hamas.”
“Most recently, the PCPA helped fund a flotilla of propaganda ships to violate Israel’s legal naval blockade of Gaza. While the flotilla claims its effort is to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, it has rejected multiple offers by Israeli officials to provide the aid via established channels. We urge you to act swiftly to designate the PCPA and its affiliates, impose targeted sanctions, and hold accountable those who facilitate terrorism under the guise of civil society,” the letter concluded.
###