The survivors of a 2015 terrorist attack in the West Bank have filed a lawsuit against a bank with ties to the Turkish government on Monday, accusing the institution of supporting the terrorist group Hamas.
The estate and children of Eitam Henkin, a U.S. national who was killed by Hamas terrorists while traveling in the West Bank in 2015, filed the lawsuit in federal court. Court documents accuse the Turkey-based Kuveyt bank of aiding and abetting Hamas through “knowingly providing it substantial assistance via financial services” channeled through both the U.S. and international financial systems between 2012 and 2015. Kuveyt’s primary shareholder is the General Directorate of Associations, an arm of the Turkish government.
The lawsuit could provide evidence of what some experts believe is the Turkish government’s continued support for terrorism and a drift away from its once close relationship with the U.S. and Western powers under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“If you look at the overall direction of Turkey, it is going in the wrong way,” Jonathan Schanzer, a former Treasury official and current senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies told the Washington Examiner.
“Sponsorship of Hamas, allowing for jihadists to cross the border to fight in Syria on the side of dangerous Islamist groups, including al Qaeda and ISIS, facilitating sanctions evasion on behalf of the Iranian regime, support for the Muslim Brotherhood. These are foreign policy decisions that the Turkish government has made under Erdoğan.”
Turkey’s tacit support for Hamas has existed since at least 2011, when Turkey accepted 11 Palestinian prisoners as part of a swap for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Some of these prisoners were members of Hamas, who remain active within the country today. The Turkish government is also accused of allowing the Hamas military wing, known as the Qassam Brigades, to operate from an office in Istanbul.
Turkey, a key NATO ally, was at one point pursuing closer ties with the West by seeking membership in the European Union and was the first Muslim country to recognize Israel in 1949. Today, relations are strained with Israel and Western countries.
Erdoğan has accused the U.S. of allying with hostile Kurdish elements in its operations against the Islamic State, while Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian S-400 air defense systems led to the U.S. removing the country from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program. Erdoğan has also yet to make good on this threat to cut off diplomatic relations with Israel should the U.S. relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.
The Turkish leader used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to cast doubt on the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, hinting his interest in pursuing nuclear weapons. He also doubled-down on his longstanding criticism of Israel.
“Today, the Palestinian territory under Israeli occupation has become one of the most striking places of injustice,” he told the assembly.
Prior to his speech, Erdoğan and President Trump discussed ongoing joint-operations in Syria and the possibility of purchasing U.S. Patriot missile batteries on Sunday. Erdoğan also met with South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in an apparent effort to smooth relations.
“I am hopeful we can get a more strategic relationship with Turkey … try to get them back in F-35 program, maybe talk about a free trade program,” said Graham. “Because Turkey is a very important ally, not just when it comes to Syria, really for the whole region.”
