U.S. Will Deal with Fatah, not with Hamas

(IsraelNN.com) The Bush administration, unlike Israel, will allow direct contact with Fatah members of the new Palestinian Authority (PA) unity government that includes Hamas, the American consulate said Sunday. The statement came shortly after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said no contacts would be held with Fatah except for matters concerning the "quality of life" of PA Arabs.

However, Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, spokeswoman for the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, said the American government will continue to boycott Hamas members of the new government and will continue the ban on direct financial aid to the PA government.