Your W, T, and F of the Day Brought to You by Jen Psaki and the US Department of State

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  July 9th, 2014 at 01:25 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

The State Department’s spokesman, Jen Psaki, was asked about Hamas’s role in the unity government within the Palestinian territory.

QUESTION: Well, what about the – what about Palestinian President Abbas sending a strong message to Hamas? I mean, you are recognizing his government, of which Hamas is a part. I mean, doesn’t he bear some responsibility for reining in Hamas?

MS. PSAKI: We don’t recognize governments. Hamas is not a part of the technocratic government. We certainly expect –
QUESTION: It’s a unity government of which Hamas is –
MS. PSAKI: Let me finish. We certainly expect President Abbas to do everything in his power to prevent rocket attacks and to condemn violence, and he has made a range of those calls. But we’re conveying the same message to him as well about the need to exercise restraint and de-escalate the situation on the ground.
….
MS. PSAKI: Well, we have no evidence that Hamas plays any role in the interim technocratic government. And as far as we know, there have also been no steps taken for the implementation of the reconciliation. And obviously, as I mentioned yesterday, given the situation on the ground, it’s difficult to see how the reconciliation process can move forward in the current atmosphere.

Here, via the Guardian on June 2, 2014, is this headline:

Palestinian unity government of Fatah and Hamas sworn in

The article goes on to point out

Despite the US secretary of state, John Kerry, telephoning the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to express “concern about Hamas’s role in any such government” ahead of the ceremony, the US said on Monday night that it would work with the new government but that it would be “watching closely to ensure that it upholds principles that President Abbas reiterated today”, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
. . . .
Since then the West Bank has been governed by Abbas and Fatah and Gaza by Hamas, which is regarded as a terrorist group in many capitals.
The swearing-in ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah came Netanyahu appealed to the international community not to rush into recognising the new government, largely made up of technocrats.

Basically this entire administration just makes sh*t up and runs with it.