Helping Hamas: French Farce or Fair Choice?

A day after President Bush accused the Palestinian militants (search) of sabotaging the Middle East peace process and urged world leaders to take a hard line against them, the French stymied yesterday an attempt by the European Union to blacklist the group's leadership.

"It is in our interest to have Palestinian interlocutors," French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said. "I distrust a strategy based on cutting off dialogue."

The move by de Villepin, whose government also has opposed American demands to shun Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, infuriated British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

"Hamas has rejected the road map and is literally trying to blow it up," said Straw, who proposed outlawing the group.

Helping Hamas: French farce or fair choice?

A sample of your responses:

The French say they are against terrorism and they support Hamas. The only things that can be assumed are:
Sacrificing your children to indiscriminately blow up buses is not terrorism
Hamas is not a terrorist organization
In the mind of the French, Israelis are the terrorists.
France is working with Arafat and Hamas to kill their very own Road Map to peace.
Jan P.
Bristow, VA

Can you explain to me how it is possible to separate the military wing and political wing of Hamas. During the rise of the Nazi Party, did the world try to separate the military faction and the political faction of that regime. Until the world understands that there is no separation between political and military they will never be able to deal with these terrorist spreading entities.
Margo M.
Southwest Harbor, ME

Their anti-semetic support for Hamas is not suprising. Bush took out the shades of grey and France would rather stand against Israel and America on terrorism issues.
James A.

France really want to talk to Hamas? I don't think so - if the Americans decided they were going to open talks with Hamas then I bet you France would be totally against it. They are just being difficult (as usual). Anyway don't be too hard on them, if it wasn't for the French who else could we laugh at? And another thing, why do you have to make this show so god damn entertaining? I'm supposed to be revising for exams but i just can't drag myself away from the tv!
From the No. 1 foxfan across the pond,
Jonathan
England

This is a really simple thing here. Hamas is a terrorist group. The French are supporting them. We need to put France on our terrorist sponsor list and not do a damn thing to help them and go after them also. You all need to tell the French to get all of the dingleberry's out of their eyes.
Todd C.
Canton, MI

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