Special to WorldTribune.com

Days after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Congress and challenged the Obama Administration’s foreign policy, National Security Adviser Susan Rice on March 6 named as her Mideast Advisor an official who has repeatedly defended the Hamas terror group.

Robert Malley has been serving as NSC senior director for Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Gulf states, despite having been dismissed by the Obama campaign when he was still a senator.

The Times of London reported at the time that “Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has fired one of his foreign policy advisers — Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group — for meeting with the Palestinian group Hamas”, which the U.S. State Department classifies as a terrorist organization.

Malley, had met with Hamas representatives on behalf of George Soros’ International Crisis Group.

Malley succeeds Philip Gordon as special assistant to the president and White House coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf region.

“There could be no better successor to Phil than Rob Malley, who is already one of my most trusted advisers and ideally placed to provide a seamless transition,” Rice said in a statement.

“One of our country’s most respected experts on the Middle East, since February 2014 Rob has played a critical role in forming our policy on Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf. I look forward to working with him in his new role.”

  Hamas defender named Middle East adviser to Obama’s National Security Council, WorldTribune.com