Opinion | Editorials
Talking to Hamas is not a mortal sin
Boycotting any particular Palestinian group will only prolong the current deadlock.
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:15 May 21, 2008
The acknowledgement of the French government that it had conducted talks with Hamas highlights a fact that could not be ignored or denied - talking to Hamas is necessary if issues with regard to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are to be resolved.
Boycotting any particular Palestinian group for one reason or another would only complicate matters and prolong the current deadlock.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has admitted that officials from the government have held talks with Hamas, a change to a previous strict policy towards the group. "Having contact is necessary.... They are not relations. They are contacts. We have to be able to speak to each other if we want to play a role...," said Kouchner.
The alteration in the French position should be taken forward and built on.
The attacks by the US and Israel on Kouchner's comments are simply unrealistic and unproductive. Any talks or negotiations would have to make Hamas inclusive, as it is just impractical to exclude it.
In fact, it is questionable as to whether this exclusion comes to serve certain political agendas of some of parties. It is time to stop being hypocritical about how to deal with Hamas if peace is to really be pursued.
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