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Photo: Yossi Zwecker

Open Letter From Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
to President Donald Trump
June 19, 2017
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
 
I write to applaud your recent visit to Saudi Arabia and Israel, during which you laid out a bold new
vision for combating Islamist extremism in all of its forms. Working together with the region’s leaders, the
initiatives that you have launched will play a valuable role in reducing the political space and economic
resources that are available to terrorists and those who support them.
 
The Gulf nation of Qatar is among the worst offenders in this regard. The Qatari government, which
is now embroiled in a diplomatic crisis with its neighbors over its support for a variety of radical causes,
has long played a duplicitous role in the region. Although it is a military ally and strategic partner of the
United States, Qatar has offered its political and economic assistance to a variety of Islamist extremist
groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood and its Palestinian branch, Hamas, as well as the Taliban
and even elements of al-Qaeda. Through their state-controlled Al‑Jazeera channel, Qatar’s rulers have also
provided a platform that has given Islamist extremists and their radical ideas much greater resonance in
the region.
 
Qatar’s actions have been deeply detrimental to the cause of
Middle East peace. The Qatari government has in recent years become
a significant source of support for Hamas, the most immediate and
grave terror threat facing the state of Israel. Qatar has provided the
Palestinian terrorist group with political backing (including safe haven
for its leaders) as well as millions of dollars to back Hamas’ corrupt,
unrepresentative rule in the Gaza Strip. By doing so, Qatar has become
a major obstacle to political moderation among the Palestinians.

The Qatari government
… is now embroiled in a
diplomatic crisis with
its neighbors over its
support for a variety of
radical causes …

 
As the founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an organization
that carries out charitable work around the world and which has more than 1.4 million active donors who
support Israel, I strongly believe that progress toward peace in the Middle East requires the United
States to hold regional governments, including the state of Qatar, to account for such behavior, which
represents an impediment to peace and stability. We hope that, as part of your bold new approach to the
Middle East, you will use the considerable influence of your office to compel such changes.
With appreciation,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder and President
International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

30 N. LaSalle Street • Suite 4300 • Chicago, IL 60602-2584 • 312-754-6141 • stopterror@standforisrael.org • www.StopTerrorNow.org

Go to StopTerrorNow.org

to send a letter
to President Trump and Congress.

You can stop terror now.
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6/14/2017 5:00:49 PM