Can the U.S. deal with a Palestinian government that includes Hamas?
Much of the back and forth with committee members on Israel-Palestine issues dealt with the administrations request for waiver authority over provisions of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006 and the 2009 Omnibus Budget Bill to enable the U.S. to talk with and provide aid to any future Palestinian government that included Hamas members but that opposed violence, recognized Israel, and was committed to past agreements. (These are the three conditions set by the so-called Quartet of the U.S., the EU, Russia, and the UN for dealing with Hamas or any other Palestinian group.) Asked by Rep. Gary Ackerman (NY) of Foreign Affairs what the U.S. would do if the Palestinians formed a government that includes Hamas, Clinton replied, We will not deal with nor in any way fund a Palestinian government that includes Hamas unless and until Hamas has renounced violence, recognized Israel and agreed to follow the previous obligations of the Palestinian Authority. But in answer to a similar questi
