Is Intel chatting to Hamas?

WE ARE INTERESTED to note that the story that Intel is to set up a $1 million training facility in the Gaza Strip was picked up by AP today and has subsequently appeared in a number of news outlets, including on these very pages.

What makes the story interesting is the fact that we first broke it some four months ago, when the deal was first announced in a press briefing in the Jordanian capital Amman.

At the time US secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in the middle east on a trip that culminated in an a late night session of arm-twisting that resulted in Israel agreeing to open up the border between Gaza and Egypt. We found the timing of Intel's announcement to be of consequence and noted that Intel seemed to be not averse to sploshing some dosh about in a manner which seemed to coincide with Ms Rice's travels.

Strangely enough, Condi today arrived in Egypt on another brief tour of duty in the middle east.

Back in November we indulged in a spot of electronic communication with Intel representative Chuck Molloy who at the time had nothing to add to the Jordanian announcement. It seems he was more forthcoming to AP this morning, stating: "We don't want to discount the tension in the area ... but from our perspective, we view it as something that can have a positive impact."

He added: "If you talk to the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, this is exactly the kind of thing they want. They want education, they want paths to improve the economic well-being of their citizens."

Indeed.

However, the Palestinian Authority is now in the hands of Hamas as a result of the recent democratic elections held in the occupied entity, a fact which has led the USA to demand the return of some $50 million in aid grants and to sanctions from Israel that include the withholding of tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority which Israel takes it upon itself to collect on its behalf.

US President George Bush insists that Hamas is a terrorist organisation and that no-one should be doing business with it until it renounces violence and recognises that State of Israel.

We can only assume that Chuck Molloy refers to conversations he had with the PA back in November, rather than any new dealings he would have been privy to this week. µ