The People Say: Let's Work With Hamas

According to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conducted January 26-29, 51% of Americans think that the Bush administration should engage in diplomacy with the Palestinian-Hamas government in hopes of changing its policy toward Israel, while only 37% of Americans think that the Bush administration should refuse to deal with the Palestinian-Hamas government until it renounces violence against Israel.

It's an interesting response from the public, when one considers poll numbers which have in the past been largely unfavorable toward the Palestinian Authority. (For instance, while 69% of respondents in a 2005 Gallup poll had a favorable regard for Israel, only 27% regarded the Palestinian Authority favorably). I think this has more to do with our own government than it does with the Palestinian-Hamas government; the public has grown tired of an aggressive and imperialistic foreign policy, and now expects our government to use diplomacy rather than scare tactics (some might say "terror tactics") like economic sanctions.