From news article:

With the Islamic militant Hamas party running neck-and-neck with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party before Wednesday's balloting, Rice said it does not work to have "one foot in terrorism and the other foot in politics."

"The United States won't change its policies toward Hamas," Rice said, implying the Bush administration would not work with a Palestinian government dominated by that party.

Referring to potential peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel, she said, "It's hard to have negotiations with a party that you do not recognize its right to exist."


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I almost put this in the joke and parody thread.

Of course the U.S. will negotiate with Hamas which will be in a government leadership position soon enough.

Rice already spelled out the conditions for legitimizing Hamas: All Hamas has to do is claim (in English) that it is no longer involved in terror, and all is forgiven. A mysterious "breakaway" faction of the Hamas will emerge to take credit for the Jihad suicide bombings and the "main" Hamas will be in control of American and European foreign aid to the Palestinians that will then be funneled to the "breakaway" terrorist unit.

Before you know it, Hamas will be sanitized by the US, EU and Israel's Leftists. It's just a matter of time, no matter what Rice says today.