U.S. won't oppose Hamas participation in PA elections

H a a r e t z ^ | 10/21/2005 | Shmuel Rosner and Arnon Regular

[Sabramerican]

U.S. won't oppose Hamas participation in PA elections By Shmuel Rosner and Arnon Regular

WASHINGTON - The United States will not actively oppose Hamas' participation in the Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections, Palestinian officials said following U.S. President George Bush's meeting with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas yesterday.

Even before the White House meeting, American officials said that while Washington objects in principle to allowing an armed organization to run in the elections, the final decision rests with the PA. And while Bush raised the issue of disarming Hamas prior to elections at yesterday's meeting, he did not dwell on it or pressure Abbas, Palestinian sources said. He also did not mention the issue during a joint press conference with Abbas following the meeting. American officials explained that Bush believes there is no advantage to staging a frontal confrontation with Abbas a few months prior to the January elections.

Abbas reiterated after the meeting that he has no intention of barring any Palestinian faction from running, since he believes it would be counterproductive. The correct strategy, he said, is to maintain quiet on the security front and move forward on the road map. At the press conference, he said this strategy is working as evidenced by the armed organizations' consent to a cease-fire and, more recently, a ban on carrying weapons in public places. Only a new, democratically elected legislature, he argued, will have the legitimacy needed to finally disarm the militias.

[Sabramerican]

Americans are at this very moment in harms way fighting terrorists.

Why?

[SeaBiscuit]

"Neither Bush nor Abbas specifically mentioned the feud over whether the Islamist militant group Hamas should be able to take part in the Palestinians' January legislative elections.

But Abbas, after a reference to a halt in attacks on Israel, said that "all groups are on their way to the electoral process, so all groups will become a part of the political Palestinian fabric."

Washington has sent mixed messages in public about whether the group should be able to take part."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/mideastus


What happened to opposing terrorists and anyone who harbors them?

[Treader]

What terrorists?

[SeaBiscuit]

Are you serious or trolling?

Hamas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas

?It is listed as a terrorist group by the European Union, Canada, the United States, and Israel, and its attacks targeting Israeli civilians and other human rights abuses have been condemned by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and by Human Rights Watch."

[Treader]

Good sword. If I could, I would break open the Bekka- now.

[El Gato]

I guess they should let Al Qaida canidates participate in Iraqi elections as well.

[Paul_Denton]

Well so much for "We'll make no distinction between the terrorists and those who harbor them." If its Abbas and the pali-scum terrorists that Abbas harbors, they get a free card for murdering both Israelis and Americans.