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Source: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.hamas17apr17001521,0,2923913.story
Carter Lifts Terrorists, Undercuts Peace
[Baltimore Sun] Michael B. Kraft - Terrorists should not be rewarded for their criminal actions. Hamas is a terrorist organization that conducts premeditated, politically motivated violence deliberately targeted against noncombatants. Despite repeated public and behind-the-scenes efforts to persuade the group to change its stance, Hamas refuses to renounce terrorism, and its policy calls for Israel's destruction. Its media continue their incitement against Jews as "pigs" and "monkeys." For a high-profile person such as Mr. Carter to put the gloss on Hamas and publicly meet with its leader at this stage only encourages Hamas to believe that if it remains steadfast in its "resistance" and rejectionist rhetoric, the West will try to make deals or concessions without Hamas having to end terrorism and its opposition to Israel's existence. Carter's meeting with the Hamas commander in chief for death and destruction is more likely to prolong and exacerbate that conflict than to help end it. The writer is a former senior adviser in the State Department's Counterterrorism Office.