Former U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled out the nomination of Adam Boehler as a hostage envoy after criticism for his meeting with Hamas to negotiate the fate of American captives. The action has angered outrage from Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist group and rejects any direct dealing with the movement.
Boehler, a seasoned Trump administration official, was allegedly engaged in indirect negotiations to win the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza. Yet, his unauthorized contacts with Hamas officials stirred up diplomatic tensions, provoking outright protests from Israeli officials and some members of U.S. Congress.
Trump’s move to withdraw the nomination comes in the face of growing political pressure, with critics contending that any contact with Hamas legitimizes the organization. Allies, on the other hand, maintain that efforts at negotiation were needed to facilitate the safe return of American citizens.
With Boehler’s nomination formally withdrawn, the Biden administration is now being called on to define its position on future hostage talks and lay out clear diplomatic procedures for handling non-state actors.
