Barack Obama “Understands” The Hamas View

Hat tip: Chaim Ben Pesach

Barack Hussein Obama “understands” why Hamas would support him.

“It’s conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, ‘This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he’s not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,’” Obama said in an interview with The Atlantic.

“That’s a perfectly legitimate perception as long as they’re not confused about my unyielding support for Israel’s security,” Obama said.

Last month, Ahmed Yousef, a political adviser to the militant Palestinian group, told an interviewer on WABC radio that “We like Mr. Obama” and “we hope that he will win the election.”

Yousef’s comments sparked intense criticism from John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, who recently vowed to be “Hamas’ worst nightmare.”

“If Sen. Obama is favored by Hamas, I think people can make judgments accordingly,” McCain said.

In the magazine interview, Obama insisted his position on Hamas is “indistinguishable” from the positions McCain or Democratic rival Hillary Clinton have taken. He said Hamas is a terrorist organization and should be condemned.

Also in the interview, Obama rejected former President Jimmy Carter’s suggestion that Israel resembles an apartheid state.

“I strongly reject that characterization,” he said. “It’s emotionally loaded, historically inaccurate and it’s not what I believe.”

Obama also said Israeli settlements on the West Bank “at this juncture are not helpful.”