Posted on 03/19/2008 9:54:16 AM PDT by Alouette
WASHINGTON —After ruling out talks with Hamas, the militant Islamist group, the Bush administration is using Egypt as an intermediary to open a channel between Israel and representatives of the group, in what some diplomats say could be a softening of the American stance.
While administration officials still say they do not plan to deal directly with Hamas, the United States has given tacit support to an attempt by Egyptian officials to mediate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the mediation attempt with President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Cairo early this month, and with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, administration officials said. Egyptian civilian intelligence officials are the go-betweens, Arab diplomats said.
The effort to mediate a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel is filled with potential pitfalls, Israeli, Egyptian and American officials said. Israel and the United States consider Hamas a terrorist organization and loathe the idea of giving it the legitimacy of mediated talks.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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Sounds like we’re rearing back to write them a big check.
With respect to dealings with the Palestinians, the U.S. says, "No stone left unturned!"
With respect to dealings with the Israelis, the Palestinians say, "No stone left unthrown!"
Exactly... I wonder how many millions of dollars we’re going to give the Pali’s in Gaza. Or maybe we can speed up the process and just give them all the weapons and explosives they need.
Why don’t we just burn the money ?
I’ve suggested exactly that in the past. It should be done on the front lawn of the White House with cameras rolling. And Condi and the Prez should be forced to explain why its being done.
There should be no negotiations with Hamas, ever, at any time. Israel’s job at this time should be to hunt down every last known member of Hamas’s leadership and take them out of circulation, either jailed or dead.
There will never be peace in Gaza while Hamas is breathing free air.
What would one negotiate with them? Is there some optimum number of missiles over the fence that would be an acceptable compromise? Does Israel hope to persuade Hamas to reduce the number of Israeli women and children slaughtered to some reasonable number?
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Of course we should negotiate with them, they're businessmen, not terrorists. Besides, we're the ones who put them in power.
Secretary Rice on CNN: US will respect elections if Hamas wins
White House: OK if Hamas controls PLC- "business professionals...not terrorists"
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