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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday backed the Bush administration's policy of shunning contact with the Islamic militants of Hamas in its Middle East peace diplomacy. He said "You can't negotiate with somebody who does not recognize the right of a country to exist so I understand why Israel doesn't meet with Hamas,"
Obama has said in the past he would be willing to meet with leaders with whom the Bush administration strongly disagrees, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Yet, Iran does not recognize Israel either and Ahmadinejad has often threatened the imminent destruction of the Jewish state.
How is this different? How can one negotiate using a standard which is not applied equally to all? Both Ahmadinejad and Hamas representatives have been elected into their positions and are recognized by their respective countries.