From Peace to Terror: Why Hamas Believes Now Is the Time to Strike

Overnight, the situation in Jerusalem has exploded.

As we told you, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas fired hundreds of rockets yesterday directed at Israeli citizens on Jerusalem Day. Since Monday evening, Hamas launched 600 more rockets at Israeli cities resulting in at least 26 people killed including nine children. These rockets have been fired on Jerusalem – the capital of Israel – Tel Aviv, and throughout Israel. The military wing of Hamas stated it fired 137 rockets toward Israel within 5 minutes. This is the biggest rocket attack yet, and a large enough barrage to temporarily overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

Israel responded and ordered the mobilization of 5,000 Israeli troops to enhance Israel’s defense efforts. Israel is calling this defensive operation following the rocket attacks “Operation Guardian of the Walls.” This situation is likely to escalate further and result in wider conflict.

ACLJ Senior Advisor for National Security and former Acting Director of National Intelligence Ric Grenell explained:

"First of all, let’s just remind people that if we would have seen terrorist attacks from Mexico or Canada, how would Americans respond? How would the American government respond? We would be unequivocal. That wouldn’t happen for more than a couple of minutes before we would stop it. So, let’s put it in perspective on what is happening and make sure we are supporting Israel. There is a lot of talk about what goes on in the Palestinian territories and who is in control. And this Biden Administration has brought those leaders to the table. We have given them money and included them like never before at the U.N., and look what they are doing. As a response, they are certainly not making it easy for themselves. And let’s also remember that they were offered a very good deal under the Abraham Accords by Jared Kushner and his team and the Palestinian leaders rejected all of that. Their response for rejecting all sorts of peace deals and economic deals has been to resort back to terror."

As we told you, as rockets rain down on Jerusalem, the Biden Administration is working with Palestinian leaders to fund the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its “Pay for Slay” terror subsides – money that supports terrorists like Hamas.

As Ric said:

"The Biden Administration has given money to the Palestinian leaders. And they have engaged with them. They brought them in and look what the response is. I don’t understand how our leaders in Washington cannot see whether or not the engagement policies work or not. It is beyond comprehension that they cannot see that it gets worse as you provide money to the Palestinian Authority and as you engage with Iran. This is something we need to articulate, and the Israelis are feeling the brink of bad weak Biden policy."

To add fire to the flames, the U.S. Coast Guard had to fire 30 warning shots after 13 Iranian armed speed boats came within yards of 7 American military vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. This was the second time in two weeks that a U.S. ship has been forced to open fire to warn Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vessels. Also, the U.S. Navy seized an arms shipment of military weapons aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea, most likely heading from Iran to Yemen, and now we know those weapons came from Russia and China.

We have a multi-level and multi-jurisdiction conflict brewing right now in the Middle East. Hamas has openly said they are not interested in stopping this behavior. This is all while President Biden is restarting millions in American taxpayer aid to the PA and its “Pay for Slay” program that funds terrorists, including members of Hamas which fired more than 500 rockets in the last 36 hours into Jerusalem and throughout Israel, aimed at harming civilians.

This is the result of a change of Administration and a change in policies. We have filed a lawsuit against the State Department over this renewed funding to the PA. Through our office in Jerusalem (which rockets struck roughly 4 miles from yesterday), we will continue to monitor this situation and provide you with updates as we mobilize international action.

Today’s full Sekulow broadcast is complete with even more analysis of the rockets being fired at Jerusalem and the Biden Administration's role in this dangerous situation.