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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351440,00.html

Hamas Leaders to Meet With Former President Jimmy Carter in Egypt

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

JERUSALEM — Former President Jimmy Carter is set to meet Thursday with Mahmoud Zahar, a top Hamas leader with control over militants in the Gaza Strip.

The meeting expands the list of top officials of the terror group with whom Carter is meeting this week against the wishes of the Bush administration, U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials.

Reps. Howard Berman, D-CA, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Gary Ackerman, D-NY, chairman of the Mideast Subcommittee, wrote Carter Wednesday imploring him not to meet with any Hamas officials.

“[T]his visit will undermine the Middle East peace process and damage the credibility of Palestinian moderates,” they wrote, adding that the “legitimacy and prestige that Hamas will derive from your visit will be seen in the region as a clear demonstration that violence pays.”

Rep. Artur Davis, D-AL, told FOX News, “I don’t think Israel should try to negotiate with Hamas because Hamas does not recognize Israel’s right to exist.” Davis added that Carter’s overtures stood athwart a tradition of support for Israel in America.

Sen. Barack Obama, who has stated his disagreement with Carter on the Hamas visit but supports an open dialogue with Iran, was pressed Wednesday on the difference between the two.

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