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Obama Administration Seeks to Bridge Rift with Israel over Palestinian Unity Government
(Washington Post) Anne Gearan - State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf on Tuesday defended the willingness of the U.S. to recognize and fund a new Palestinian government affiliated with Hamas. She stressed that the announced lineup of ministers includes none who are members of the militant Palestinian group that has advocated Israel's destruction. "They are all technocrats, unaffiliated with any political party, and are responsible for facilitating new elections," Harf said. Israel's ambassador to Washington, Ron Dermer, wrote on his Facebook page: "Had Hamas changed, it would be one thing. But Hamas hasn't changed. It remains as committed to Israel's destruction today as it was yesterday." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told AP: "All those who genuinely seek peace must reject President Abbas' embrace of Hamas, and most especially, I think the United States must make it absolutely clear to the Palestinian president that his pact with Hamas...is simply unacceptable." Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the UN and a foreign policy adviser to Netanyahu, said any international move that legitimizes Hamas is a dangerous mistake. "I don't think that people in Washington understand the depth of Israel's disappointment over the decision to support this government," Gold said. "Hamas isn't just a terror organization....Hamas is an organization that has adopted an agenda to annihilate Jews."