Blinken's Response to Israel Attack

Former South Carolina governor and Republican presidential candidate, Nikki Haley, has strongly criticized Secretary of State Antony Blinken for what she deems as an “irresponsible” statement. This comes in response to Blinken’s assertion that there was no direct link between a recent Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and the release of $6 billion in frozen funds to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal.

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Haley took issue with Blinken’s remarks, where he argued that the $6 billion could not have supported terrorism and stated that the U.S. had not seen evidence of Iran’s involvement in the attack. Haley contended that it was unrealistic to assume that Hamas and Iran wouldn’t exploit the situation, given their awareness of the impending release of these funds.

Haley further criticized the Biden administration’s Middle East foreign policy, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and the lifting of sanctions on Iran, which provided additional resources to the country. She argued that Iran would inevitably use these funds for hostile purposes.

The recent Hamas attacks have resulted in numerous casualties, with at least 600 Israelis killed and over 2,000 injured. Haley’s criticism adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the U.S.’s approach to the Middle East and its handling of funds allocated to Iran.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The ANI English