Who's isolating whom? America cannot preach democracy in Palestine, then chastise the winners, just as it cannot demand concessions from Hamas without Israel budging, too. It cannot bully dictatorial allies to reform, then always expect their support. And America cannot single out Iran on the nuclear issue, while ignoring Israel's nearby arsenal. It's like Dick Cheney hunting quail but shooting his friend instead, joked a Saudi columnist. ...What Egyptian officials fear is that too much pressure, too soon, could drive Hamas into further extremism. Instead of making threats, say the Egyptians, outsiders should bolster Palestinian institutions that are not run by Hamas, such as the presidency of Mahmoud Abbas, and give Hamas itself time to sort out a more practical, less ideology-bound position. ...
Economist