From the Jewish Telegraph, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm.
BRITAIN was this week reported to be planning to renew contacts with Hamas.This follows the terror group's impressive showing in recent Palestinian municipal elections, says the Tel Aviv website Israel Insider. Israel is reported to be demanding clarification from Britain over the reports.
The website claims that senior British officials have confirmed that London is rethinking its approach to the terrorist group.
But foreign secretary Jack Straw recently told his Israeli counterpart Silvan Shalom that Britain would not modify its attitude towards Hamas.
And a senior official in London has said that Britain would not engage in talks with groups that are involved in terror or who do not accept Israel's existence...
Meanwhile, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, Mushir al-Masri, claimed the group recently met British and US officials.
"We'll maintain a dialogue with any element in the world with the exception of Israel," he said.
I wish there were solid grounds to believe anything Jack Straw says. The Brits have shown remarkable ease toward the rise of anti-Semitism. Jews just aren't safe there .. never really were, IMO. I welcome being proved wrong by this strong ally of the US.