US News

O’S BIG NO TO MEETING HAMAS

SAN ANTONIO – Barack Obama – who has said repeatedly that America must meet with its enemies, including the tyrants who lead Iran, North Korea and Cuba – drew the line yesterday in refusing to talk with Hamas.

“They’re not heads of state. They don’t recognize Israel,” Obama told reporters.

“You can’t negotiate with somebody who doesn’t recognize the right of a country to exist.”

Obama’s comments caught some observers by surprise because Hamas was democratically elected and has shared power in the Palestinian government.

And Iran’s leader, who Obama is willing to meet with face-to-face, not only doesn’t recognize Israel, but has often called for the destruction of the Jewish state.

During the first Democratic debate last July, he said he’d be willing to meet the heads of Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria and Venezuela in his first year as president.

“It is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them,” he said.

Sen. Hillary Clinton shot back a day later that Obama’s position was “irresponsible and frankly naive” and said that as president she wouldn’t meet leaders such as Fidel Castro or Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

“I don’t want to be used for propaganda purposes,” she said.

Yesterday Obama defended a boycott of Hamas.

“I understand why Israel does not meet with Hamas,” the Illinois senator said.

Hamas never renounced terrorism after winning the January 2006 parliamentary elections and triumphing in a civil war in the Gaza Strip last year against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Obama said Hamas lacks legitimacy, noting its failure to recognize Israel and the refusal by Abbas’ Palestinian Authority to recognize Hamas rule in Gaza.

In a contentious exchange with reporters, Obama said, “I think it is entirely legitimate to make distinctions between those who are heads of state, heads of established countries and those who have advocated terrorism.”

The United States shuns Hamas and has had little contact with countries such as Iran, Cuba, and North Korea, which it calls “state sponsors of terrorism.”

The Bush administration has said it’s willing to talk to lower-level Iranian officials, but only after Tehran suspends it uranium-enrichment program.

Obama repeated his position on dealing with anti-US leaders as recently as two weeks ago when he said he’d be willing to meet Raul Castro.

“I do think that it’s important for the United States not just to talk to its friends but also to talk to its enemies,” he said in a televised debate with Clinton.

Obama’s remarks about Hamas came on the eve of today’s make-or-break primaries in Ohio and Texas.

kenneth.lovett@nypost.com