News Brief

Barack Obama must do a better job of reaching out to the Jewish community, say several New York congressmen.

The lawmakers also believe Obama should strongly consider U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) for the vice-presidential slot. “We need to convince Jewish voters that he will stand by Israel,” U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said during a speech Sunday night at an event sponsored by the New York chapter of the National Jewish Democratic Council. The NJDC billed the event as a night to honor Engel and four other Jewish members of Congress from New York — Gary Ackerman, Steve Israel, Jerrold Nadler and Anthony Weiner — for working to bolster the U.S.-Israel relationship. After his remarks, Nadler told JTA that he shared Engel’s view that Obama faced some challenges in the Jewish community.

“Barack Obama is not well known in the Jewish community,” Nadler said. “There is a lot of nervousness.” Nadler and Engel both made clear that they were comfortable with Obama, despite their strong preference for Clinton and any policy differences they have with the Democratic front-runner, most notably his stated willingness to meet with the president of Iran. Weiner, Nadler and Engel all said that if Clinton ultimately loses the nomination, Obama would be wise to put her on the ticket, which would send a reassuring message to Jewish voters who view her as a proven supporter of Israel. Ackerman did not attend because he was in Israel as part of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s delegation.

Israel’s vice prime minister said that his government is violating its ban on talking to Hamas.

Haim Ramon said Monday that Israel is negotiating with Hamas, the first time a government minister has acknowledged that talks are underway. The talks appear to be taking place through Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, acting as a mediator, who met with Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Sharm-al-Sheik on Monday.

Ramon made his comments at a Kadima faction meeting during a discussion on Gaza policy.

Also on Monday, a retired French diplomat told Le Figaro newspaper that he had met top Hamas leaders recently to hear their views on a cease-fire with Israel and reconciliation with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas

The report prompted French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner to admit the contacts were at Paris’ behest, though the government was firm on insisting Hamas recognize the Jewish state and foreswear terrorism before it can be formally engaged.

“Having contacts is necessary,” Kouchner told Europe 1 radio Monday. “They are not relations, they are contacts.”

Israeli officials said they had been reassured by France there is no change in its policies toward Hamas. Until now relations between France and Hamas have been limited to intelligence services.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy has repeatedly said that he would not meet with terrorists or “people who assassinate.” The U.S. and the European Union consider Hamas a terrorist organization.

Yves Aubin de La Messuziere from France met with Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud Zahar of Hamas approximately one month ago, according to the article which broke the story.