It’s not some unreliable rag, either. The Guardian quotes sources within the Obama transition team saying that the incoming administration will hold discussions with Hamas, an organization classified as terroristic by the United States, European Union, Canada, Japan, and others.

The incoming Obama administration is prepared to abandon President Bush’s doctrine of isolating Hamas by establishing a channel to the Islamist organisation, sources close to the transition team say.

The move to open contacts with Hamas – which could be initiated through the US intelligence services – would represent a definitive break with the Bush presidency’s ostracising of the group.

Yeah, funny how the Bush Administration thought that isolating a terrorist group that lies, abandons agreements, and dedicates itself to destroying Israel wouldn’t be a bad policy.

The Guardian has spoken to three people with knowledge of the discussions in the Obama camp.

There is no talk of Obama approving direct diplomatic negotiations with Hamas early on in his administration, but he is being urged by advisers to initiate low-level or clandestine approaches, and there is growing recognition in Washington that the policy of ostracising Hamas is counter-productive.

There are a number of options that would avoid a politically toxic scenario for Obama of seeming to give legitimacy to Hamas.

“Secret envoys, multilateral six-party talk-like approaches. The total isolation of Hamas that we promulgated under Bush is going to end,” said Steve Clemons, the director of the American Strategy Programme at the New America Foundation.

“You could do something through the Europeans. You could invent a structure that is multilateral. It is going to be hard for the Neocons to swallow,” he said. “I think it is going to happen.”

By the way, via Hot Air, here’s Obama on negotiating with Hamas back in April ’08:

“We must not negotiate with a terrorist group intent on Israel’s destruction. We should only sit down with Hamas if they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist and abide by past agreements.”

“Hamas is not a state. Hamas is a terrorist organization,” he said.

Has the terrorist group done any of those thing? Has it renounced terrorism, recognized Israel’s right to exist, or abided by its past agreements? Hardly.

Hamas, of course, is the terrorist group that endorsed and then unendorsed Obama in the election. Looks like their first decision was the right one.What’s changed since April? The election is over, with Obama firmly planted in the White House. All of The One’s statements have expiration dates. All of them.