Bush: “Dismantle” Hamas

Reports that a truce that would include Hamas is being negotiated are circulating in Jerusalem, but President Bush reacted coolly to the idea of a Hamas cease-fire today. “In order for there to be peace, Hamas must be dismantled,” Bush said. That’s good, obviously. One basic precondition for Middle East peace is that the U.S. and other third parties must stop treating terrorist organizations as legitimate political players. That assumes, of course, that the Palestinians have any non-terrorist organizations. But ruling out Hamas is a start.