Democratic Majority for Israel, a pro-Israel Democratic advocacy group, is criticizing Sen. PETE RICKETTS (R-Neb.) for saying that Hamas should be part of the peace process, saying it is a “savage terrorist group” that doesn’t deserve to be involved, our Daniel Lippman writes in.
After news came out this week that Trump hostage envoy Boehler had met with Hamas officials to get more Americans out of Gaza, Ricketts said that “to get to peace [in the Middle East], you have to have both sides at the table.”
DMFI President and CEO MARK MELLMAN argued to NatSec Daily that Ricketts was wrong and that Hamas “does not belong at the table for peace negotiations in a post-war Gaza. Indeed, Hamas must have no role whatever in a post-war Gaza.”
“Both the Biden-Harris administration and the Trump-Vance administration have been clear in stating that Hamas can have no role in post-war Gaza,” Mellman added. “Senator Ricketts should repudiate his statement.”
A spokesperson for Ricketts didn’t respond to a request for comment.