JERUSALEM, March 24 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in Jerusalem Monday indicated no softening in the U.S. stance toward Hamas, a senior U.S. official said.
The Bush administration official told reporters accompanying the vice president to the Middle East that the Islamic political and militant organization must "fundamentally change their stripes" before the United States will consider the idea of including it in a Palestinian government. By that, he said he meant Hamas must recognize Israel's right to exist and adhere to prior agreements reached with the Palestinians. Hamas is labeled a terrorist organization by the United States.
The administration official also said U.S. diplomats are no longer meeting with Iranian officials and cited heightened concerns about Iran and Syria, which he said are "marching in lockstep." He cited their support of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's "pursuit of nuclear weapons."
He declined to predict how serious the situation could become but noted "These are problems that people are seized with ... worried about."
