Italian PM: "Hamas Must Be Helped To Work For Peace"

And al-Qaeda, the Taliban, Hezbollah and all the other merry men.

"Italy: Hamas welcomes PM Prodi's remarks" from AKI:

Rome, 13 August (AKI) - Remarks by Italian prime minister Romano Prodi that Hamas should be "helped so it works for peace" have been welcomed by the Palestinian group but have drawn criticism in Italy including from the country's Jewish community.

"Hamas exists and it is a very complex reality that we must help, so it works for peace" Prodi said speaking on Sunday.

Hamas stands for blood and destruction. It says so in their charter. The only way to help them move towards peace is to bury them. Got that, Neville?

The president of Italy's Jewish community Renzo Gattegna, also slammed Prodi's comments, remembering that the premier had recently visited the Israeli city of Sderot which is frequently targeted by Qassam rockets fired by Hamas-linked militants in Gaza.

"Dialogue with everyone will be possible once there is willingness for dialogue, and not the desire for destruction, war and terrorism", Gattegna was quoted as saying in another Rome daily, Il Messagero.

He also urged Prodi not to deviate from the official line of the European Union and United States ruling out negotiations with Hamas unless the group complies with three conditions: recognises Israel; abandons violence; and, respects previous accords.

In other words, don't waste your time. Hamas has claimed many times that they will not recognize Israel's right to exist. What's there to talk about? Another unobserved temporary ceasefire? Another pause in terror so Hamas can further arm themselves?

Hamas spokesman Fouzi Ibrahim welcomed what he described as Prodi's invitation to dialogue, and a signal that Italy "has left the American Umbrella" of influence.

Ibrahim also said that Prodi's remarks indicated a possible break or shift within the European Union with regards to Hamas and he invited the bloc's member states "not to surrender to the American administration that supports the terrorism of the Israeli occupation at the expense of the Palestinian people".

All Prodi did is bring Italy one step closer to suffering a terrorist attack. That is all he will get out of this foray. Appeasement always pays you back in spades.