US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice battled against a recommendation made by Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa during the conference of donor nations in Berlin to support the Hamas terrorist organization following its ceasefire with Israel.
The conference, called to reinforce monetary support for the Palestinian Authority police force, has become a forum for debate over whether the international community should reopen dialogue with Hamas.
Rice has maintained that until the terrorist group is willing to fulfill the conditions set by the Quartet – the US, Russia, European Union and United Nations – which include formal recognition of Israel, upholding agreements signed by prior PA governments and renouncing terrorism, Hamas should be ostracized. "You cannot have peace if there is not a partner who respects the right of the other partner to exist," she said, according to Reuters news service.