Europe Looking For Way To Talk With Hamas
Ryan R. Jones - All Headline News Middle East Correspondent Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - The European Union is looking to play a greater role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process by finding a way to engage and, hopefully, moderate the ruling Hamas faction, The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday. Hamas has been blacklisted by the West as a political entity since its electoral victory in January due to the organization's failure to recognize the Jewish state, renounce terrorism, and accept the land-for-peace formula. But with no other visible movement towards any kind of settlement, the EU is suggesting the West be the one to bend first and revisit the conditions it imposed for holding talks with the recognized terror group. One senior EU diplomatic source told the Post, "No one is questioning the need for the three conditions, but maybe if you cannot get wholesale adherence by Hamas to these three conditions, why not start with one, and see where that gets us." Continuing, he said that the issue of ending terrorism "is more important than the rest. After that, we could talk about getting them to accept the Oslo framework." He said least important was explicit recognition of Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. "This is not something that needs to be up front." The official concluded by explaining that rumored upcoming talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas woul |
