Hamas men elected in PA vote holding ongoing talks with IDF

[Colorado Blue]

Prominent Hamas officials recently elected in Palestinian Authority municipal council elections are holding regular contacts with IDF liaison and coordination officers, a senior military official told Israel Radio Monday, comparing formal bans on talks with Hamas with past curbs on talks with the PLO.

Israel views Hamas as a terrorist organization, and publicly shuns all contact with it. Hamas, for its part, remains sworn to the eradication of the Jewish state by means of violence.

"We must be cautious in ruling out Hamas," the unnamed Israeli officer was quoted as saying. "In the past, we ruled out the PLO, and later we agreed to spoke with them." The contacts are confined to local issues such as commerce, electricity, water and sewage, and do not deal with diplomatic issues, the radio said.

snip

Hamas leader in the West Bank, Sheikh Hassan Yusif, confirmed the talks, the radio said, quoting him as saying, "There is no alternative to being in contact with the Israelis, when we are speaking of ongoing civilian affairs for the sake of the welfare of the inhabitants."


http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/576588.html

[rpannier]

1. It's a start

A small one, but bread-and-butter issues are always the most important.

[Colorado Blue]

2. Agreed! nt