'Guardian' Claim Obama Camp 'prepared to talk to Hamas'

By Ben Trott

The Guardian are this evening running an article, said to be based on having spoken to 'three people with knowledge of the discussions in the Obama camp', claiming,

'The incoming Obama administration is prepared to abandon President Bush's doctrine of isolating Hamas by establishing a channel to the Islamist organisation'.

A variety of possibly means by which this may take place are speculated on in the article, from contact being established by low-level US officials, to the creation of multilateral structures involving 'the Europeans'. A third opinion is cited which suggests talks would be dependent on the severe 'drubbing' of Hamas' military wing in the current conflict in Gaza.