The Israeli Defense Forces have accused Hamas terrorists of using the roofs of residential homes to launch unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In the wake of one of the deadliest terror attacks in years by Hamas, the United Nations Security Council is facing criticism for its failure to recognize or sanction Hamas as a terrorist group, despite numerous other nations declaring it as such. Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, highlighted the discrepancy in the Council’s approach, stating, “The U.N. Security Council votes to impose sanctions and designations on groups like al Qaeda, the Taliban or ISIS. But no such sanctions or designations exist for Iran’s axis of terror groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.”
Although the Council has passed resolutions in 1999, 2011, and 2015 to sanction ISIS and al Qaeda, along with associated individuals and groups, there are no such sanctions in place for Hamas and Hezbollah. This lack of action comes as Israel is retaliating against Hamas following a surprise attack that claimed the lives of more than 1,300 Israelis. Goldberg criticized the U.N.’s stance, pointing out that the organization considers Hamas and Hezbollah as legitimate political movements, allowing them to freely collaborate with them.
Israeli and U.S. officials have long accused the U.N., including the Security Council, of harboring an anti-Israel bias. During the Trump administration, then-Ambassador Nikki Haley introduced a resolution in 2018 to label Hamas as a terror group, but it received only one vote in favor, that of the U.S. An attempt to have the U.N. General Assembly condemn Hamas was also unsuccessful. Russia, with its veto power, often poses a roadblock on the Council for any action against Iran and Iran-backed entities.
In response to the recent attack against Israel, the U.S. demanded that the Council condemn “these heinous terrorist attacks committed by Hamas,” but no immediate action was taken. While some countries did condemn the atrocity, not all council members joined in. Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan criticized the U.N.’s reaction, calling it shameful and accusing the organization of turning a blind eye to Hamas’ arming and use of civilian infrastructure for its own purposes. Erdan emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself and called for the U.N. to focus on condemning Hamas and supporting Israel rather than preaching to it.
Goldberg highlighted the broader implications of the Council’s failure to designate Hamas as a terror group. This includes the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is not required to submit its list of staff and beneficiaries for U.S. counterterrorism vetting due to Hamas not being recognized as a U.N. terror group. This loophole allows UNRWA to use its own lists and conveniently find no evidence of support for terrorism.
The United Nations Secretary General’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The issue of Hamas’s designation as a terror group continues to be a contentious topic, with Israeli and U.S. officials urging the U.N. Security Council to take action. As tensions in the region remain high, the failure to address the threat posed by Hamas has raised concerns about the effectiveness and impartiality of the Council’s approach to combating terrorism.
