France and Hamas

[madape]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satelli...=1061784376619

From the Jerusalem Post.

There was no indication the EU is ready to put Hamas on its list of terrorist groups. Its members have long been divided on that. France says that blacklisting Hamas will only make negotiations with the group impossible.

Diplomatic advisor to President Chirac, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, is quoted to have said to the Israeli ambassador in France, Nissim Zvilli, that there is no proof that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are terror organizations. "If we find that Hamas and Islamic Jihad are indeed terror groups opposed to peace, we may have to change the EU's stand," said Gourdault-Montagne. "However, we mustn't limit ourselves to one, clear cut, position."

Over the weekend, Zvilli met with Gourdault-Montagne, said to be Chirac's right-hand man, as part of Israeli lobbying efforts to include the two Palestinian organizations in the EU terror list.

France, which has consistently objected to placing Hizbullah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad on the European Union's list, believes, according to Gourdault-Montagne, that Israel ought to deal with its terror threats through political, rather than military, channels.

Officials of the Israeli Foreign Ministry expressed outrage at the French position. "Such an attitude is one of criminal negligence. It refuses to assume responsibility over the war against — and thus legitimizes — terrorism."

They added that the EU's statement, issued in response to last Tuesday's attack, does not mention Hamas by name, limiting its condemnation obscurely to "groups which have taken themselves outside the rule of law".

Officials of the French Embassy in Israel have retorted by claiming the French position remains unchanged. The military wing of Hamas, they say, is and ought to be on the EU terror list.

Conversely, Israel is demanding that all Hamas wings be included in the list, claiming there is no real separation between them.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Hamas, here is a little bit of insight on France's best little buddies in the middle east.
http://www.nationalreview.com/commen...tman092602.asp

[u2sarajevo]

It seems France is dead set on making us regret saving their little country from the Nazis. In return we get crap like that and a useless Basketball player like Rigadeau.

What a bunch of idiots. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Smiles]

Originally posted by: u2sarajevo
It seems France is dead set on making us regret saving their little country from the Nazis.

wow, now that's a statement U2. you on pain killers or something? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[Drbio]

Ugh....