Clinton: No Support for Fatah/Hamas Unity Unless Hamas Adopts Quartet Conditions

David Streeter — May 6, 2011 – 12:39 pm | Foreign Policy | Israel | Terrorism Comments (0) Add a comment

Yesterday during a press conference with Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reiterated the Obama Administration’s position that Hamas must adhere to the Quartet’s conditions in order to be considered a legitimate political organization. The Quartet conditions are:

1. Hamas must renounce violence. 

2. Hamas must recognize Israel’s right to exist.

3. Hamas must adhere to past agreements between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

Clinton said:

[S]peaking for the United States ... we are going to be carefully assessing what this actually means, because there are a number of different potential meanings to it, both on paper and in practice.

We’ve made it very clear that we cannot support any government that consists of Hamas unless and until Hamas adopts the Quartet principles. And the Quartet principles have been well known to everyone for a number of years. So we’re going to wait and make our assessment as we actually see what unfolds from this moment on.

William Daley, Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, and State Department Spokesman Mark Toner have also reiterated this position in recent days.

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