Obama to find ways to fund Hamas and Hezbullah: What could go wrong?
In an earlier post, I noted that the Obama administration has proposed a none-too-subtle change in the criteria for engaging with Hamas. The Obama administration has proposed that the three conditions for negotiating with the terror organization (abandonment of terror, recognition of Israel and recognition of past agreements) be abandoned to allow Hamas to enter into a unity government with Fatah which in turn would 'accept' those conditions. That proposal, outlined in testimony by Secretary of State Clinton in congressional testimony last week, has apparently awoken some pro-Israel Representatives out of their catatonic stupors. The Obama administration's proposal is akin to agreeing to support a government that "only has a few Nazis in it," Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) told Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last week.Of course, the administration is being backed by 'Palestinian scholars.'
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Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said the proposal sounded "completely unworkable," even if the individual Hamas-backed officials agreed to abide by the U.S. conditions.
"You couldn't have the leadership of a terrorist organization pick the ministers in the government, with the power to appoint and withdraw them, and answering to them," he said.
Nathan Brown, a specialist in Palestinian politics at George Washington University, said he considered it significant that the administration was willing to approach Congress with the proposal, knowing lawmakers were likely to be opposed.But perhaps the most amazing part of this story is Clinton's rationale for this measure:
"That's gutsy," he said.
Ziad Asali, president of the American Task Force on Palestine, a Washington group that advocates Palestinian statehood, saw the proposal as another of Obama's gestures to adversaries. "This is saying, 'I'm reasonable. I'm trying to make a start. Don't say I haven't tried,' " Asali said.
Clinton, defending the administration's position last week before Congress, noted that the United States supports and funds the Lebanese government, even though it includes members of Hezbollah, another militant group on the U.S. terrorist list.There's an election in Lebanon on June 7.
She argued that the U.S. should try to gradually change the attitudes of Hamas members, as it did in Northern Ireland, where it help broker a peace deal.
"We don't want to ... bind our hands in the event that such an agreement is reached and the government that they are part of agrees to our principles," she said.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:08 PM
3 Comments:
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If the US government is prepared to talk to terrorist organizations, its assurances about Israel's security are worthless.
What could go wrong, indeed
This administration is moving at breathtaking speed to enable the liquidation of Israel.
Hamas will be funded while defense programs supporting Israel are cut.
And you know what's coming following Netanyahu's visit next month: the (Bush 41 redux) threat of a reduction in loan guarantees if Israel does not freeze settlement-building.
Once Hamas is ensconced safely within the PA, Obama will expand US arms sales and training to the Palestinians under the guise of fighting terrorism (Islamic Jihad and all those other intransigent irredentist groups, you know) and preparing them for statehood.
Proposals for US or NATO troops in J&S will also be floated.
If Israel resists any of the above, Obama will have Susan Rice crack the whip at the UN.
The Samantha Power protocol is playing out in spades.
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