Eu must start talks with Hamas

In view of the Gaza conflict, NRC Handelsblad accuses the West of double standards in its Middle East policy. While avoiding condemning Israel so as not to jeopardise diplomatic talks, the West refuses to talk to Hamas, the paper writes: "This double standard can no longer be maintained at the official level. ... The Netherlands and Denmark have proposed stationing European observers on the borders to Gaza to make sure that Hamas receives no weapons in the event that a stable ceasefire ... is reached. But such controls would only have more than a symbolic significance if discussions were held with all parties in the region, including Hamas. Ignoring the existence of this armed Islamic movement has not served to limit violence in the past. Now is the time for diplomacy, and Europe must be at the forefront."

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Europe, » Middle East

» To the complete press review of Friday, January 9, 2009