President Joe Biden faces a flurry of criticism over his Iran deal after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, causing hundreds to be killed overnight.
Amid a rising escalation between the two countries that caused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare “war” after Hamas launched a surprise attack, critics are taking aim against Biden’s “irresponsible policies.”
Last month, the Biden Administration issued a waiver to allow the transfer of $6 billion in frozen Iranian oil revenue that U.S. sanctions had blocked. This allowed international banks to transfer Iranian funds to free five Americans detained in Iran.
More on this from NBC News:
Last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a sweeping waiver to international banks allowing the transfer of $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds from South Korea to Qatar without the threat of U.S. sanctions, according to the State Department report notifying Congress of its decision. Iran will then be permitted to use the funds to buy food, medicine, or other humanitarian items allowed under U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, the administration told lawmakers it would free five Iranian nationals under detention in the U.S. in exchange for five Americans held in Iran, according to the document.
Twitter users referred to the move as a “destruction of Israel” that Biden and the Democratic Party fueled.
If you are horrified by what is happening in #Israel right now, you can thank @JoeBiden.
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 7, 2023
Iran is spending the $6 BILLION Joe Biden just gave them.
Conservative commentator Vince Mansfield tweeted, "I would like to see the Republicans in the US House open an investigation into how that $6 billion Joe Biden just sent to Iran was distributed. Specifically, did any of it go to Hamas before this latest attack on Israel."
Meanwhile, as Biden continues to be MIA on the deadly attacks against Israel, former President Trump condemned the attacks, which he says American taxpayers helped fund.
"These Hamas attacks are a disgrace, and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration. We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible," Trump said in a statement.
In addition, Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) called out Biden for handing over billions of dollars to Iran.
Today, we are watching the culmination of Biden's absolutely irresponsible policies with respect to Israel.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) October 7, 2023
He has directed funds to Palestine.
UN funds have gone to Palestine.
He JUST handed $6 BILLION to Iran.
Now we see the results. Israel is our closest ally in the world.…
Conservative host Mark Levin also shed light on Biden's "appeasement of the Palestinian terrorists," claiming that the transfer of $6 billion "to the Iranian terror state, which arms these terrorists, contributed to" the attack.
"Just weeks ago, the Biden administration handed over $6 billion to Iran, and today, innocent Israelis were murdered by Iran-backed terrorists," Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) said in a statement.
"This is exactly why so many Americans & Israelis were DISGUSTED to see [President Biden] give the Iranian regime $6 billion last month," Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) tweeted. "Every dollar given to Iran funds terrorism in the Ayatollah’s quest to destroy Israel. Iran is behind today’s invasion & everyone must say that."
The tragedy in Israel is not just a failure of Israeli intelligence. It is a profound indictment of US-led policy on Iran.
— Jake Wallis Simons (@JakeWSimons) October 7, 2023
Hamas is being funded and equipped by Tehran… which the US has been appeasing and enabling in recent months, as billions of dollars have flowed into the…
During a phone call on Saturday morning between Biden and Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister reportedly said that "Israel will win" a war against Hamas.
According to the Israeli PM Office, Biden stressed that the U.S. stands by Israel and fully supports its right to defend itself despite not yet addressing the situation publicly.