State Dept: "No Evidence That Hamas Plays Any Role" in Palestinian Gov't

By Elizabeth Nelson

This is what happens when we allow the children to lead the country, especially when the facts aren't even difficult to find.  I actually learned the truth, while doing my research for Obama's Op-Ed for Israel to "Show Restraint not Vengeance", so I didn't need to hear Obama's State Department, singing monkey, Jen Psaki dance around singing, "There is no evidence that Hamas is playing any role in the Palestinian Unity Government ... we don't recognize technocratic government roles." Sadly, Obama lemmings will parrot this spoonfed slop and our allies are listening to this drivel as well.

Tuesday at the State Department press briefing, spokeswoman Jen Psaki dismissed the notion that ties exist between the declared-terrorist organization Hamas and the Palestinian government.

Psaki was asked if Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had any ties to Hamas’ aggression, to which Psaki downplayed that possibility, but of course she would, we're funding the enemy.

Transcript:

PSAKI: Well, what I’m specifically — let me see if there are more specific calls to read out for you. What I’m referring to is any leader in the region — any countries in the region that can send a strong message to Hamas as well.

Q: But that would be — so, like, the Egyptians, the Saudis? Who? The Turks?

PSAKI: That’s correct. Those are all applicable. I don’t have any more specifics to read out for you, though, on that.

Q: What about Palestinian President Abbas sending a strong message to Hamas? I mean, you are recognizing his government, of which Hamas is a part. I mean, doesn’t he bear some responsibility for reining in Hamas?

PSAKI: We don’t recognize (governments ?) — Hamas is not a part of the technocratic government. We certainly … let me finish. We certainly expect President Abbas to do everything in his power to prevent rocket attacks and to condemn violence, and he has made a range of those calls. But we’re conveying the same message to him as well about the need to exercise restraint and de-escalate the situation on the ground.

Q: But do you think that he bears some responsibility here? I mean, I just — it’s like, at one point, yes, it was a conflict between just the U.S. and Hamas, and Abbas had no real kind of skin in the game, because it was between the two parties even though it was affecting the Palestinian people directly. But now, he’s part of a unity government and has some influence with Hamas now, wouldn't you say?

PSAKI: Well, we have no evidence that Hamas plays any role in the interim technocratic government, and as far as we know, there have also been no steps taken for the implementation of the reconciliation. And obviously, as I mentioned yesterday, given the situation on the ground, it’s difficult to see how the reconciliation process can move forward in the current atmosphere.

Okay, that was Tuesday, on Monday before the Palestinian Authority Unity Government and in front of the Palestinian president, Mahmaud Abbas, the new minister and prime ministers of the new PA Unity Government were sworn in.  Why is this significant; because this is the union of Fatah and the Hamas and "supposedly" ends the division between the West Bank and Gaza under one government.   Abbas w/Fatah will control the West Bank and Gaza will be controlled by Hamas; but  there is "no evidence that Hamas Plays Any Role in Palestinian Gov't" right, and who am I, I'm not even lamestream media.

After seven years of a bitter and at times lethalrivalry between the two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, a historic Palestinian unity government has been sworn in , ending years of division.

The signing ceremony, which seems likely to complicate relations with the Palestinian Authority's international aid donors in Europe and the US and increase tensions with Israel, was broadcast live in Gaza and the West Bank.

Despite the US secretary of state, John Kerry, telephoning the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to express "concern about Hamas's role in any such government" ahead of the ceremony, the US said on Monday night that it would work with the new government but that it would be "watching closely to ensure that it upholds principles that President Abbas reiterated today", State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Israel, which suspended peace negotiations in April when a surprise reconciliation deal was signed opening the way to the appointment of the new government, reacted angrily to the deal. The prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, chairing a security cabinet following the signing, told ministers: "Today, Abu Mazen [as President Mahmoud Abbas is known] said yes to terrorism and no to peace."

The meeting voted to authorize Netanyahu to impose unspecified sanctions against the Palestinian Authority, adding that it would now hold the Palestinian Authority "responsible" for any attacks originating from the Gaza Strip.

Israel also said it would act – including in the international community –to prevent Palestinian elections taking place which included the participation of Hamas.

Abbas, who heads the mainstream Fatah movement, has said the 17- member cabinet would comprise unaffiliated ministers and would strive to pursue peace, despite Hamas's refusal to accept co-existence with Israel.

"Today, and after announcing the government of national unity, we declare the end of division that caused catastrophic harm to our cause," Abbas said.

The announcement of the new government, ending a long and debilitating political and territorial division in Palestinian affairs, opens the way for long-delayed Palestinian elections, slated for 2015.

The ceremony took place hours after Israeli jets struck the site of what they said were two rocket launches from Gaza.

The new government will reunite Gaza and the West Bank under a single political authority for the first time since 2007, when Hamas – which won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006 – asserted control over the Gaza Strip, forcing out Fatah.

Since then the West Bank has been governed by Abbas and Fatah and Gaza by Hamas, which is regarded as a terrorist group in many capitals.

The swearing-in ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah came Netanyahu appealed to the international community not to rush into recognizing the new government, largely made up of technocrats.

Netanyahu hit out at European governments for condemning a shooting attack on the Jewish museum in Brussels but responding with "ambiguity" to reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas.

"It is puzzling to me that governments in Europe that strongly criticize this act of murder speak with ambiguity and even friendliness about a unity government with Hamas, a terror organization that carries out crimes like these," he said.

In a sign of the potential difficulties ahead, Israel refused three Gaza-based ministers permission to travel to the West Bank for the swearing-in.

The ceremony took place after several last-minute wrangles that threatened to delay the signing, including over who would be foreign minister and an attempt by Abbas to abolish the post of prisoners' minister, which was opposed by Hamas.

That dispute was resolved after it was agreed that the prisoners would remain within the government portfolio and would be held by prime minister Rami Hamdallah.

According to a draft obtained by AFP, the new government will have five ministers from Gaza, and will be headed by Hamdallah, , who will also hold the interior portfolio.

Abbas has already pledged that the new administration will abide by the principles laid down by the Middle East peace quartet in that it will recognize Israel, reject violence and abide by existing agreements.

Hamas announcement after signing pact with Palestinian President Abbas: We will never recognize Israel. pic.twitter.com/SwrEEczQat
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 2, 2014

Briefing reporters a few hours before the signing ceremony, Israel's intelligence minister, Yuval Steinlitz, a close ally of Netanyahu, insisted that the deal reasserting the Palestinian Authority's governance over Gaza placed an obligation on Abbas to demilitarize the coastal strip as part of the Oslo peace agreement.

Israel claims that factions in Gaza have up to 12,000 missiles and rockets under their control. "Enough of these tricks," Netanyahu said. "If this new Palestinian government has regained sovereignty over Gaza the first thing that Abbas should do is announce he is starting demilitarization of Gaza."

›Israel targets Hamas terrorists. By contrast Hamas targets innocent Isareli civilians civilians while hiding behind civilians.›
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 8, 2014

To this day, it amazes me that we would huff and puff and posture when Putin took over Crimea and yet, an act that Romney and Palin saw coming years ago, and yet when terrorists continue to threaten our ally we do what? Not only do we do nothing but we continue to fund the terrorists that are killing their children and vow to wipe them off the face of the earth.

›We are determined to give our citizens the safety and security they deserve." #ProtectiveEdge
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 8, 2014

Would we expect anything less from our leader? Actually, I think this kind of reaction from our occupying president would shock and amaze us, especially after he told Netanyahu to show "Restraint, Not Vengeance."  Yeah, because that's what all Americans wanted after 9/11, restraint, not vengeance; and that's exactly what Obama has been bragging about all of his last term, into this term, "I showed restraint and American forgiveness and good will and let Osama Bin Laden live."

We do not differentiate between the terrorists and we will respond to all of them, wherever they come from, with a firm hand.
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 6, 2014

Remember when we had a leader like this? My fear is, thanks to Obama's terrorist-sympathizing policies, that by collaborating with known terrorists and by laying down with dogs, that we have picked up their smell and fleas and now even our allies won't be able to distinguish us from them.