Frederick Jones, spokesman for the National Security Council, emphasized the US view that Hamas is a terror organization, but made clear that it is only up to the Palestinian Authority to decide who will take part in the elections.
“The decision as to who can participate in the elections is obviously up to the Palestinian Authority”, said Jones, but he added that “we do not believe that a democratic state can be built when parties or candidates seek power not through ballot boxes but through terrorist activity as well”. The official US view, as expressed many times before Sharon’s statement, is that Hamas must disarm before entering the political system. Yet the US has never endorsed a policy of interrupting the election process if Hamas takes part in it.

Sharon’s vow, which he has privately repeated to President Bush and other world leaders attending the U.N. General Assembly this week, appears to conflict with the U.S. position that the Palestinian Authority should decide who can participate in its elections. But U.S. officials declined to comment specifically on Sharon’s remarks.

I guess it is ingrained in palestinian political culture, “Social Security reform, better unemployment benefits, lower taxes and, oh, DEATH TO ISRAEL!”