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Umm paragraphs??? Sorry... JERUSALEM (Reuters) – France signaled support on Friday for a Russian plan to invite Palestinian election winner Hamas to Moscow for talks despite strong protests from Israel, which wants governments to shun the Islamist militant group. Israeli President Moshe Katsav and others said Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened peacemaking prospects if he followed through on his invitation for Hamas to visit Moscow after its victory in the January 25 parliamentary election.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned against what she called a “slippery slope” that could lead other nations to compromise with Hamas, whose charter calls for destruction of the Jewish state.

But Russia stood its ground and predicted other countries would sooner or later follow its lead and have contacts with Hamas. France’s foreign ministry said Russia’s invitation to Hamas “can contribute toward advancing our position.” Meir Sheetrit, an Israeli cabinet minister and political ally of interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said Israel should consider recalling its ambassador to Russia in protest, and accused Putin of “stabbing Israel in the back.” Israel has ruled out negotiating with Hamas, which masterminded more than 60 suicide bombings against Israelis since 2000 but has largely adhered to a truce declared in March.

Senior Israeli officials said Russia, as a member of the Quartet of major powers trying to broker Middle East peace, had a responsibility to shun Hamas.

“It’s not just a slap in the face to Israel. It’s a slap in the face to Western countries,” said one Israeli official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the government was “waiting for an explanation” from Russia’s ambassador in Israel. But Russian Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov defended Russia’s offer of talks with Hamas.

“Hamas is in power, this is a fact, and secondly, it came to power as a result of free democratic elections,” Ivanov told reporters at a NATO – Russia meeting in Italy. He said Moscow was not happy with all of Hamas’s policies, but predicted the West had no choice but to deal with it. “I hazard the prediction that sooner or later certain countries, including those of the Quartet, will be favorable to contacts with Hamas,” he said.

The Middle East Quartet consists of the United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia.