The editorial printed April 30 headlined “Another View: Palestinian accord should not end Mideast peace talks” does not consider several essential points:

Hamas is an Islamist terrorist organization that seeks Israel’s destruction and attacks innocent civilians. Any Palestinian government that includes Hamas cannot be a negotiating partner unless it meets longstanding demands in U.S. law: recognize Israel, reject violence and accept previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

The Hamas charter, published a year after the organization’s 1987 founding, contains anti-Semitism and racism, rejects peaceful efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and calls for the destruction of Israel through jihad. Hamas considers all of Israel to be occupied territory.

Hamas’ past involvement in Palestinian politics has not moderated its objective to destroy Israel and build a radical Islamist society. Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007 and now rules the territory through fear and the imposition of its version of Islamic law.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki expressed dismay April 24 over the announcement and its potential impact on peace talks.

“It’s hard to see,” she said, “how Israel can be expected to negotiate with a government that does not believe in its right to exist.”

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Susan Most

Old Orchard Beach

 

 


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