Italian minister: Isolating Hamas may help al-Qaeda

The West’s policy of isolating Hamas could backfire and push the militant Palestinian group into the arms of al-Qaeda, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema said.

In quotes reported in Italian media on Tuesday and confirmed by his spokesman, D’Alema said sidelining Hamas did not set a good example of democracy. “Hamas has been involved in terrorist activity, but it is also a popular movement,” D’Alema said. (Reuters)