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Last update - 00:47 04/03/2008
Obama says United States should not meet with Hamas
By Reuters
Tags: Barack Obama, U.S., Israel 

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday backed the Bush administration's policy of shunning contact with the Islamic militants of Hamas in its Middle East peace diplomacy.

The Illinois senator has said he would break with President George W. Bush's stance of declining to talk to some other international adversaries but that stance does not apply to Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and is committed to the destruction of Israel.

Obama has said in the past he would be willing to meet with leaders with whom the Bush administration strongly disagrees, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cuban leader Raul Castro.
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Obama, hoping to win his party's nomination to face likely Republican nominee Sen. John McCain in the November presidential election, said his willingness to meet with foes "does not include Hamas."

"You can't negotiate with somebody who does not recognize the right of a country to exist so I understand why Israel doesn't meet with Hamas," Obama told reporters during a campaign stop in San Antonio, Texas.

Iran does not recognize Israel either and its president has often threatened the imminent destruction of the Jewish state, drawing criticism from the West which fears Iran wants to make nuclear bombs that could threaten the region.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left for the Middle East on Monday to try to salvage U.S.-sponsored peace talks derailed by Hamas rocket attacks on Israeli towns and Israel's military response in Gaza.

"I do think it is important to us to try to jump-start the peace process," Obama said. "It has been under enormous strain of late."



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      1.   I hate to say it, but another Obama foreign policy "blunder"..... 01:08  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/03/08
      2.   Gee, wonder what his tune will be day after primaries tomorrow? 01:15  |  common sense 04/03/08
      3.   Obama 01:21  |  Deisi Blankfeld 04/03/08
      4.   Obama the hypocrite 01:47  |  Lee Kaplan 04/03/08
      5.   Obama is PATHETIC 01:50  |  John 04/03/08
      6.   Obama is good for Israel 01:55  |  Atoo 04/03/08
      7.   Somebody in primaries is no measure 01:56  |  Fritz T. 04/03/08
      8.   R-E-L-A-X 02:39  |  Dusty 04/03/08
      9.   At the same time 02:44  |  Mark Lincoln 04/03/08
      10.   So for all his talk of change, Obama......... 02:45  |  Deborah 04/03/08
      11.   Do Democrats lack intelligence in front of a camera? 02:47  |  Drew 04/03/08
      12.   Recognizing that Hillary and Obama were. . . 02:58  |  Mark Lincoln 04/03/08
      13.   Hamas is BETTER then Abbas! 04:12  |  Jeff 04/03/08
      14.   Good thing there is no "Lobby" 04:16  |  Candida 04/03/08
      15.   my vote 04:42  |  aa 04/03/08
      16.   Atoo #6 05:31  |  Brad 04/03/08
      17.   KAPLAN majority of Americans support Israel,democracy`s a bitch 05:55  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      18.   Right to Exist 06:05  |  Jabotinsky 04/03/08
      19.   obama: i kissed a** and sucked up to israel..... 06:33  |  sooki 04/03/08
      20.   Dear Mr. Obama 07:06  |  jay 04/03/08
      21.   Black Sucks 07:25  |  Dan 04/03/08
      22.   THE JEWISH LOBBY STILL VERY STRONG 07:37  |  indrajaya 04/03/08
      23.   Duh, it`s common sense 08:00  |  ELIAS KHOURY 04/03/08
      24.   Obama is a calculating deceiver 08:07  |  Ariel 04/03/08
      25.   Obama panders... 08:24  |  samos 04/03/08
      26.   perspective 08:31  |  The Trix Rabbit 04/03/08
      27.   The dependency of the U.S.A. on Arab oil. 08:36  |  Jean Van Daem 04/03/08
      28.   from GUARDIAN today a wake up for Obama as he panders for AIPAC v 08:42  |  samos 04/03/08
      29.   He had to say that 08:44  |  pal 04/03/08
      30.   Hypocrite Obama! 09:05  |  Maureen Ann 04/03/08
      31.   a response to "obama is good for israel" 09:15  |  Better reasons pleaz 04/03/08
      32.   SAMOS did Guardian mention the Hamas NO PEACE EVER policy 09:28  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      33.   Obama Looking Good Now 09:35  |  Yosemite 04/03/08
      34.   PAL.Never heard of Jimmy Carter?Candidate Nader? Sharpton? 09:45  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      35.   OBAMA WILL SAY ANYTHING TO PLEASE JEWISH LOBBY FOR WHITE HOUSE 10:26  |  TripleJump 04/03/08
      36.   obama buttkissing elite? 10:28  |  lmao at obama 04/03/08
      37.   Lee Kaplan - Terrorists lover 10:30  |  S 04/03/08
      38.   MAUREEN No hypocrisy needed.USA do not like Islamists 10:37  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      39.   US bringing democracy to the Middle East 10:40  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      40.   AIPAC have been busy 10:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 04/03/08
      41.   Obama says 10:49  |  a wandering Jew 04/03/08
      42.   Obama the cynic 10:50  |  Leb 04/03/08
      43.   Better vote for McCain who, at least, is not a hypocrite. 10:51  |  S 04/03/08
      44.   PETER SM Do you want them Dead too? 10:54  |  pal 04/03/08
      45.   Obama. are you sure? 10:54  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/03/08
      46.   contradiction in terms 10:58  |  Wright On 04/03/08
      47.   To nu.8 11:00  |  alarm clock 04/03/08
      48.   PAL Dead ??? We don`t do fatwas,you do.! 11:15  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      49.   Olmert know, how to make the PR maker happy. 11:18  |  Dav 04/03/08
      50.   Obama also says this- non-billgerent Israel 11:22  |  Patrick Warner 04/03/08
      51.   TALK TO IRANIAN FOR YOUR OWN SAKE 11:24  |  indrajaya 04/03/08
      52.   What, like the US didn`t talk to Sunni terrorists? 11:25  |  Michael 04/03/08
      53.   #2 common sense 11:27  |  James 04/03/08
      54.   the usual.... 11:29  |  ravi 04/03/08
      55.   #46 Ravi 11:46  |  James 04/03/08
      56.   to # 21&23 to Peter Sam the reason why no body dares to talk 11:48  |  Zaki 04/03/08
      57.   FAKE PETER SM@34.Pals elect who they want,you cannot force US to 11:50  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      58.   Mark Lincoln # 12 That Is Incorrect 11:50  |  Jeff Northridge 04/03/08
      59.   to Peter SM part2 12:07  |  Zaki 04/03/08
      60.   Then Obama is no friend of Israel 12:09  |  Labhras 04/03/08
      61.   AND ALL THIS TIME ALL ZIONIST WORRIED ABOUT OBAMA`S LOYALITY 12:37  |  NOT SURPRISED 04/03/08
      62.   AND ALL THIS TIME ALL ZIONIST WORRIED ABOUT OBAMA`S LOYALITY 12:37  |  NOT SURPRISED 04/03/08
      63.   Obama was attacked by the jews and he will win 13:25  |  Zaki 04/03/08
      64.   # 63 Zaki....what a stupid reason to vote 13:50  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      65.   Obama Needs to Know How US Helped Bring Hamas to Power 13:54  |  Dorothy 04/03/08
      66.   # 1 Swiss....the media love for Obama 14:03  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      67.   Kaplan # 4 ....well, now that the rosy shades 14:08  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      68.   # 30 Maureen Ann....last week Obama was the 14:11  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      69.   # 68, LYNN 14:23  |  indrajaya 04/03/08
      70.   # 65 Dorothy....and it starts 14:30  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      71.   # 60 Labrhas.....85% of americans are supportive 14:35  |  Lynn 04/03/08
      72.   Double speak Obama style 14:40  |  Brod 04/03/08