From the Washington Post:
Israeli officials sought support for an international boycott of a Palestinian government that includes Hamas, as leaders of the radical Islamic group said Sunday they did not expect the Bush administration to end funding once they form a cabinet in the coming weeks. Doing so would conflict with the democratic values the administration promotes in the region, they said.
"We don't have any fears," said Saed Siyam, a Hamas candidate elected to parliament last week who frequently serves as the group's emissary to the outside world. "The American and the Europeans have an interest in this also. They will be embarrassed in this part of the world if they punish a people simply for expressing their democratic wishes."
This is nonsense of course. We wouldn't be cutting off aid because Hamas was elected. We would be cutting off aid because of how Hamas speaks and acts once its status is official. I have expressed skepticism that we, let alone Europe, would really do anything that might force Hamas to moderate its behavior. But maybe I was wrong.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, in Jerusalem with acting Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert, said the European Union would not fund the Palestinian Authority if Hamas does not renounce violence and recognize Israel.
If she sticks to that, and (big if) she can bring the rest of Europe with her, then progress might be possible.
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