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At a time when a majority of Israelis support an open dialog with Hamas, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is on his way to Damascus to meet with exiled Hamas leader, Khaled Mashaal.

Now don’t get me wrong: I am not at all impressed by Carter’s lukewarm criticism of the Israeli occupation (yes, I read his book) and Khaled Mashaal should be slapped for his pontifications about a third Palestinian uprising from the comfort Damascus while the people of Gaza are starving and exhausted. So in my opinion, the meeting will do little good. Nevertheless, if they want to meet, so be it.

But the stonewall face of Israel’s opposition to Palestinian democracy cannot stomach such a meeting and neither can their counterparts in Washington (including all three of the main Presidential candidates):

“US government policy is that Hamas is a terrorist organization and we don’t believe it is in the interest of our policy or in the interest of peace to have such a meeting,” spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

McCormack failed to mention the Bush Administration’s refusal to meet with Yassir Arafat for similar reasons, but apparently Fatah has reformed itself so drastically over the last few years that talks with Abbas are now acceptable. Really?

I was also not aware that talking with officials of the governing party in Gaza could be a detriment to peace… I suppose that goal is better served while Israel continues to cut electricity, launch incursions on a daily basis, expand settlements and turn down more than three offers by Hamas for a ceasefire.

Yep, of course it is…

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that, according to a study conducted by an “independent” think tank, Hamas is engaged in a massive military build-up. The Times writes, and this is a direct quote:

The study, by an independent research group with close ties to the Israeli military establishment, says that though the buildup will take some years to complete, it is in an intensive phase that has already led to better infiltration into Israel and a rise in the breadth and precision of rocket fire.

I was not aware that an organization with “close ties to the Israeli military establishment” could remain “independent”. This is a revelation.

You have to wonder if the New York Times has ever cited a study by an “independent” Palestinian think-tank with close ties to the al-Qassam Brigades…