US Treasury Faces Ridicule for Sanctioning Hamas Leaders: Abu Ubaida Included
Watan-Widespread ridicule erupted against the US Treasury Department after imposing sanctions on leaders of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, including “Abu Ubaida,” the spokesperson for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the movement.
The US Treasury had announced sanctions on the spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, along with leaders of the movement’s drone unit.
The American sanctions targeted Wael Abu Shanab, the commander of the Northern Unit based in Lebanon, Baraa Hassan Farhat, Abu Shanab’s assistant, and Khalil Mohammed Azzam, an intelligence officer.
A statement from the US Treasury Department mentioned that the European Union was simultaneously imposing sanctions targeting the Hamas movement.
What do the sanctions mean?
The sanctions impose a ban on all properties and interests owned by the targeted individuals in the United States or those under the control of American persons, which must be reported to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Brian Nelson, the Treasury Department’s deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, said, “Our joint action today further enhances our collective focus on disrupting Hamas’ ability to carry out further attacks, including through cyber warfare and drone production.”
🔵 وزارة الخزانة الأميركية قالت إن الولايات المتحدة أصدرت، الجمعة، عقوبات على “أبو عبيدة” المتحدث باسم الجناح العسكري لحركة #حماس وقادة بوحدة الطائرات المسيرة التابعة للحركة الفلسطينية التي تصنفها واشنطن على قوائم الإرهاب.
🔵 الوزارة ذكرت في بيان أن العقوبات استهدفت حذيفة سمير… pic.twitter.com/4sCXw7BpfQ
— قناة الحرة (@alhurranews) April 12, 2024
He added, “The Treasury Department will continue to coordinate with our allies and partners to target Hamas facilitation networks wherever they operate, including in the digital realm,” according to him.
Reaction and ridicule The US move sparked widespread reaction and ridicule, especially after Abu Ubaida was included in the list of those targeted by sanctions by the Treasury Department.
عن “أبو عبيدة” و”الجرائم الجنسية”!
هذيان الاتحاد الأوروبي وجنون واشنطن.
فرضت الأخيرة عقوبات على “أبو عبيدة” تشمل “تجميد الأصول”، كأنه تاجر ألماس!
أما الاتحاد الأوروبي، ففرض عقوبات على “القسام” و”السرايا” على خلفية ما قال إنها “أعمال عنف جنسي “واسعة النطاق” ارتٌكبت خلال هجوم 7…
— ياسر الزعاترة (@YZaatreh) April 12, 2024
Global Reaction and Mockery
Analyst Yasser al-Zaatra said, “About Abu Ubaida and the sexual crimes… the hysteria of the European Union and the madness of Washington… the latter imposed sanctions on Abu Ubaida, including freezing assets as if he were a diamond merchant… As for the European Union, it imposed sanctions on Hamas and Saraya al-Quds (Jerusalem Brigade) based on what it said were widespread sexual violence committed during the October 7 attack.”
He added, “What some of the invaders’ newspapers have ridiculed themselves, the Union has proven, as if the mujahideen were on a picnic, not confronting death and awaiting martyrdom for the sake of a merciful Lord, not to mention the fact that they have ethics that Europe as a whole lacks.”
He continued, “You can imagine that those whose history is filled with crime, murder, looting, and enslavement of humans… look at others for morals… their time is receding, just like the invaders they planted in our land… to hell, God willing.”
#أبوعبيدة أصبح “كياناً ” تفرض وزارة الخزانة الأمريكية عقوبات عليه ، وهذا له دلالات كثيرة لو كنتم تعلمون … #أبوعبيدة pic.twitter.com/0iBsiIu55J
— Tameem Ezzeldeen (@TEzzeldeen) April 13, 2024
Journalist Ahmed Fawzi reacted, “The US Treasury imposes sanctions on the spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida… on the basis that they know who Abu Ubaida is… and on the basis that he owns assets and properties in America.”
Activist Mohammed Mabkhout wrote, “The US Treasury imposes sanctions on the military spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, the jihadist leader Abu Ubaida… as if Abu Ubaida has money and assets in the world’s banks, you will not touch the soldiers of God and His allies.”
Activist Tamim Azzeddine said, “Abu Ubaida has become an entity on which the US Treasury Department imposes sanctions, and this has many implications if you knew.”
Meanwhile, the account “Miserable Egyptian” wrote sarcastically, “The US Treasury imposes sanctions on Abu Ubaida… Now Abu Ubaida is living in a difficult situation, his wealth in the US Treasury is lost, and his vacations spent in America and on the beaches of its cities have been deprived of him, his private planes have stopped moving… Poor Abu Ubaida, where does he spend his vacations?”
