Obama ‘ready to open dialogue with Hamas’

Barack Obama's administration is ready to break with the Bush doctrine of isolating Hamas and establish channels of communication with the Islamist organisation ruling Gaza, according to a report in the Guardian.

Sources with knowledge of the discussions in the Obama camp say the President-elect would not approve direct diplomatic negotiations with Hamas, but would encourage low-level or clandestine approaches, possibly arranged through the US intelligence services. "There is growing recognition in Washington that the policy of ostracising Hamas is counter-productive," says the Guardian.

An approach via the intelligence services would not be unprecedented: the US engaged with Yasser Arafat's PLO in the 1970s without Israel's knowledge.

The Guardian reports that Richard Haass, a diplomat under both presidents Bush who is expected to become Obama's Middle East envoy, supports low-level contacts with Hamas provided there is a ceasefire in place and a Hamas-Fatah reconciliation emerges.

Responding to the Guardian's report, Jeffrey Feldman of the Huffington Post points to one apparent contradiction: "The leak is bringing to light diplomatic activity that will be secret in the future. But if we know about it now...it is not really secret." However, that diplomatic activity "will likely lead to negotiations with Hamas about accepting key principles, which will in turn likely lead to the Obama administration stepping into the light as a mediator between Hamas and Israel."

Feldman goes on: "What seems to be happening in Congress is that the 'War on Terror' approach to Hamas has failed, the Obama transition team accepts that, and they are pushing for an approach whereby the US attempts to normalise relations with groups hitherto defined as 'terrorists'."

FIRST POSTED JANUARY 9, 2009