[National Review] Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - Last month, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced that his Fatah party would be forming a national unity government with Hamas, a terrorist group that seized power in the Palestinian-administered territories in January. Such a government, were it to arise, would include the current Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and would not require the recognition of Israel or the renunciation of violence among its guiding principles, Hamas spokesmen have announced. Supporting or even recognizing any government in which such a terrorist organization participates would be a tremendous mistake. Such a move would constitute an unmitigated disaster for the Palestinian people and a wholly unacceptable development that would undermine U.S. interests and policy, hinder peace efforts, and herald nothing but continued pain and suffering for Israelis and Palestinians alike. The writer serves as chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia.
2006-10-06 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive