Posted on 11/11/2008 5:10:00 AM PST by SJackson
Hamas political adviser tells 'Al Hayat' that group maintaining contact with US president-elect's aides.
Hamas political adviser Ahmad Yousef revealed Tuesday morning that prior to the US general elections, a secret meeting was held between officials from the group and President-elect Barack Obama's advisers in the Gaza Strip.
"We are maintaining contact with them", said Yousef who disclosed no further information as to the nature of the meeting.
In an interview with the London-based Al Hayat newspaper, Yousef reportedly said that contact between Hamas and Obama's advisers was first established over the Internet.
The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report.
"We first made contact on the Internet and then met with some of them here in the Gaza Strip. They advised us not to reveal this information lest it influence the elections or become manipulated by [Republican candidate John] McCain's campaign".
Yousef added that he personally had friendly relations with a few of Obama's advisers whom he had met when he lived in the US.
"Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh will draft a congratulatory letter to Obama for his victory in the elections," added Yousef.
The office of the president-elect could not be reached for comment on the report due to the time difference between Israel and the US.
That about says it all. :-(
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
----------------------------
Yes, this is a crime if they were providing and support or advice to a designated terrorist group.
Isn’t the prospect of diplomacy betwwen unelected Obama radicals and other radicals- via internet and blackberry- enticing?
Previous US Presdients have not even used personal email due to security risks.
ay yi yi
Hah, we knew that. It didn’t matter one bit.
Especially offensive is the betrayal by the majority of the jewish community in the USA.
A pox on them.
Yep!
Yousef added that he personally had friendly relations with a few of Obama's advisers whom he had met when he lived in the US.
Willing to go the extra mile for Terrorists, thats liberals for ya.
by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) Hamas is claiming close and ongoing ties with America's upcoming Obama Administration, according to a report published Tuesday in the Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat. The relationship was kept under wraps until after the U.S. elections so as not to harm Obama’s election prospects. The U.S. has classified Hamas a terrorist organization.
The London-based publication interviewed Gaza-based political chief Ahmad Yousuf, advisor to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas regime in Gaza, which seized power in a bloody coup d’etat in 2007. Yousuf declared that Hamas has been in regular contact with President-elect Barack Obama’s advisers for months.
"We were in contact with a number of Obama's aides through the internet, and later met with some of them in Gaza," the Hamas official was quoted as saying, "but they advised us not to come out with any statements, as that may have had a negative effect on his election campaign and be used by Republican candidate John McCain."
According to a travel warning posted online by the U.S. State Department, "Conflict and violence can occur and spread rapidly and Unpredictably [sic] in the Gaza Strip. The State Department strongly recommends that American citizens refrain from all travel to the Gaza strip [sic] and that those already in Gaza depart immediately. This recommendation has been in effect since the deadly roadside bombing of a U.S. Embassy convoy in Gaza in October 2003. It applies to all Americans, including journalists and aid workers. No official travel is permitted inside the Gaza Strip at this time. " The travel warning, which was dated September 26, 2008, was an update of a similar warning posted six months earlier, prior to Obama's visit to the region.
Contacts allegedly began during the presidential race, while the travel ban was already in force, and Yousuf expects the relationship to continue. He has also predicted that there will be "a change" in American foreign policy in the Middle East once Obama enters the White House. However, he said, the new president will focus more on domestic issues and pay less attention to the region "and the Palestinian issue" than did his predecessor.
Haniyeh sent Obama a telegram congratulating him on his "historic victory" in the U.S. elections, according to FrontPage Magazine.
After the U.S. elections, President-elect Obama has appointed Robert Malley as a senior foreign policy adviser. Malley, who served as an “informal adviser” to the Obama campaign, was reportedly forced to sever his ties with the campaign six months ago, when The Times of London reported that he was meeting with Hamas representatives on a regular basis. During the campaign Obama claimed he opposed contacts with the Hamas.
At the time, campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt stated that "Rob Malley has, like hundreds of other experts, provided informal advice to the campaign in the past. He has no formal role in the campaign. He will not play any role in the future."
FrontPage Magazine reported Tuesday that Obama has already dispatched Malley to meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad. The report cites an unnamed aide of Malley’s as stating that Malley's job is to explain 'that the Obama administration will take Egyptian and Syrian interests more into account' than did the outgoing Bush administration.
Last week Hamas called upon Obama to regularize contacts with the organization, but Obama stated he would not do so until Hamas renounces terror and is willing to recognize Israel and its existing agreements with the Palestinian Authority.
Planning their future attacks on Israel.
Oh well, Israel doesn’t care to fight for itself anymore, why should we care anymore?
Olmert the appeaser is throwing the country away to the dogs.
Was this actually an Obama fundraising event??
Gee, Obama was so CLEAR in all of his speeches that he would NOT talk with Hamas.
70% of Jews voted for NObama.
Well I hope everyone knows why The One wants to get rid of don't ask, don't tell.
The Obamanation never met a terrorist he didn't like.
Oh, say it ain’t so, Joe!! Now THIS is a surprise! /s
Abuse of power before he even takes office or the oath of office. He should be impeached.
Hey 70% of jewish people in America... whatcha think now?
advised us not to reveal this information lest it influence the elections or become manipulated by [Republican candidate John] McCain’s campaign”.
________________________________________________
Yeah it’s always manipulation when you tell the truth.
A stronger President would have stood up this poseur and read him the Treason Act last summer.
If John McCain had done this during his campaign there would be an outrage.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.