U.S. Decries New Palestinian Government

[Purveyor]

(03-17) 15:43 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The Bush administration found little good to say Saturday about a Palestinian coalition government that falls short of Western demands and complicates U.S. plans to revive long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said part of the platform announced Saturday is disturbing, and he called Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's introductory speech disappointing.

Islamic Hamas militants will govern alongside a secular, Western-backed Palestinian president whose standing seemed to be weakened by terms of the government announced Saturday. The terms do not fully satisfy requirements imposed by international donors and would-be peacemakers that Palestinian leaders renounce violence, accept Israel's right to exist and abide by previous agreements the Palestinians made with Israel and others.

The blended government is a marriage of convenience meant to end a Western aid boycott in place since shortly after the militants won a surprise victory in legislative elections last year. But although its platform and makeup are more moderate than the hardline Hamas would draw on its own, it contains an implicit endorsement of terrorism.

---END OF EXCERPT---

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/17/international/i154323D94.DTL

[wellst0nev0ter]

1. Why Don't We Just Invade Their Country

and install our own government and get it over with?

[Kagemusha]

2. Because they don't have a country?

Technically speaking.

[wellst0nev0ter]

7. Sorry, Forgot The Scare Quotes

The sham has gone on long enough.

[Tom Joad]

6. You mean you want the US to replace Israel and do it directly?

[wellst0nev0ter]

8. Well All Israel Has Done Is Kidnap Several Ministers

Obviously that isn't enough to change governments, so perhaps the Bushies should take over things until they get the results they want.

[Eugene]

3. U.S. to allow some contacts with non-Hamas ministers (Reuters)

U.S. to allow some contacts with non-Hamas ministers
18 Mar 2007 08:50:47 GMT
Source: Reuters

JERUSALEM, March 18 (Reuters) - The United States will shun Hamas
ministers in a Palestinian unity government but will allow contacts
with non-Hamas members on a case-by-case basis, the U.S.
consulate said on Sunday.

The shift in U.S. policy amounts to a break with Israel, which has
vowed to shun the entire unity government cabinet.

"We will continue our policy of not having contacts with members
of foreign terrorist organisations," said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm,
spokeswoman for the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem.

"In terms of individuals who are not members of foreign terrorist
organisations, we will not suspend contacts with individual
Palestinians soley based on their participation in the unity
government but we will make individual decisions based on our
evaluation of the situation," she added.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L181712344.htm

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. Shows who's interested in peace, huh?

Hamas is now a full participant in democratically elected civil government. They've maintained a long ceasefire and say they will respect past agreements. They, standing alongside Fatah as well as independent political parties, are interested in working out a settlement for a state within '67 borders. They've made it clear that for them, official recognition of Israel is the end result of that process.

If this is good enough for teh people of Palestine.... if respected independents like Ziad Abu Amr and Mustapha Barghouti are participants in this government... since this government truly seems to be a cross section of Palestine...

Can someone explain why the US is behaving like a ridiculous child?

[Tom Joad]

5. The US is the greatest source of terror in the world today.

[Eugene]

9. U.S. Diplomat Meets With Palestinians (AP)

U.S. Diplomat Meets With Palestinians

Tuesday March 20, 2007 3:46 PM

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - A U.S. diplomat met Tuesday with the Palestinian
finance minister, the first American contact with the new Palestinian government
and a sign of a break in policy between Israel and its closest ally.

Israel has said it will not have contact with any member of the new Hamas-Fatah
coalition, including moderates like Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6494643,00.html