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Last update - 11:20 10/01/2009
Obama aide denies report he will launch low-level contact with Hamas
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Barack Obama, Israel News 

A spokesperson for U.S. president-elect Barack Obama on Friday denied a report that Obama is expected to engage Hamas in dialogue, after he takes office.

The U.K. newspaper The Guardian reported on Thursday quoted unnamed sources reportedly close to Obama's transition team, who said he has been urged by close advisors to launch low-level contact with Hamas.


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"The President-elect has repeatedly stated that he believes that Hamas is a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction, and that we should not deal with them until they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and abide by past agreements," said Brooke Anderson, chief national security spokesperson for the Obama transition team.

"The President elect's repeated statements are accurate," added Anderson. "This unsourced story is not."

The article said though there hasn't been any talk of Obama being in favor of direct negotiations with Hamas, a growing number of voices in Washington are saying the policy of isolating Hamas is not productive.

Regardless of the level of engagement, if Obama decides to reach out to Hamas, it would represent a stark break from the Bush presidency's policy of isolating the group.

The article mentions advisors to Obama who are reportedly in favor of talks with Hamas, including Richard Haass, a diplomat who served under both Bush presidents and who a number of news outlets have named as Obama's choice for Middle East envoy.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama, who has avoided commenting on foreign policy matters, said on Wednesday he will "engage immediately" in the situation in the Middle East when he becomes president.

Obama, who takes office on January 20, repeated that he was deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza but said he it would be imprudent to send signals that his incoming administration is running foreign policy.

Obama broke his silence about the violence in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, calling the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and in Israel a "source of deep concern for me."

The president-elect added he would adhere to his principle that only Bush should be the voice of U.S. foreign policy at this time but he would have plenty to say after his inauguration in two weeks.

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      1.   As if I`m surprised 03:24  |  David Gottfried 09/01/09
      2.   smart thing to do... 05:21  |  bashar 09/01/09
      3.   agree with #1 05:32  |  yitke 09/01/09
      4.   Obama`s Oblique Middle East Policy 05:44  |  Ori 09/01/09
      5.   Jew Fault 05:56  |  Star 09/01/09
      6.   We want President Obama to talk with Hamas 06:04  |  Timothy 09/01/09
      7.   the Messiah 06:10  |  Yanosh 09/01/09
      8.   A SMART MOVE 06:13  |  indrajaya 09/01/09
      9.   Obama is pissing everyone off. 10:07  |  Nechama 09/01/09
      10.   Obama will talk to Hamas 10:09  |  Nechama 09/01/09
      11.   #6 We? Speak for yourself. Arragance 10:35  |  Semsem 09/01/09
      12.   1.Care Equally For Israelis and Palestinians!2.Stop Slogans! 10:36  |  MoreReasonNeeded 09/01/09
      13.   US failed economic and foreign policies 10:40  |  mike 09/01/09
      14.   Hamas the survivors 10:42  |  robert 09/01/09
      15.   Bravo, Number 1, David 10:46  |  George 09/01/09
      16.   #1: Black Man Gets Elected and You Say its Failure of Democracy 10:47  |  Tupac 09/01/09
      17.   obama will talk to hamas 19:40  |  niek 09/01/09
      18.   UK paper trying to boost Hamas moral 19:52  |  Newmar 09/01/09
      19.   Israeli Observer: Obama will talk with Hamas, Hezbolah, Ahmedined 20:01  |  Israeli Observer 09/01/09
      20.   #15 the terrorist sympathizer 20:07  |  JB 09/01/09
      21.   #1 Failure of democracy?? 20:15  |  KR 09/01/09
      22.   Obama is nothing more then Jimmy carter In A New Suit 20:29  |  Livin In Rishon 09/01/09
      23.   George 21:05  |  Connie 09/01/09
      24.   Obama is right 21:13  |  Gabriela 09/01/09
      25.   Talk to everyone 21:47  |  Mark Lincoln 09/01/09
      26.   #25, MarkL, Hamas is not a sovereign 02:53  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/01/09
      27.   No Negotiation with this lot 03:26  |  Anspacher 10/01/09
      28.   Obama should talk to Hamas 03:49  |  American in NY 10/01/09
      29.   # 26, CIPORA 04:11  |  indrajaya 10/01/09
      30.   #24 Gabriella....maybe you should read 04:24  |  Lynn 10/01/09
      31.   American in NY 04:57  |  Ben 10/01/09
      32.   # 15 I agree with you. 05:50  |  James Caan 10/01/09
      33.   American in New York 06:00  |  Jasper 10/01/09
      34.   Wait and see ! 13:01  |  Josh 10/01/09
      35.   Don`t Forget About Iran Too 20:16  |  Yosemite 10/01/09
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