Moscow
In a surprise departure from previous policy, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would invite Hamas leaders to Moscow. Hamas, a militant party responsible for dozens of terrorist acts in Israel, won the recent Palestinian elections. Last month, the U.S., European Union, United Nations, and Russia—the “quartet” that mediates the Middle East peace process—announced that a Hamas government would not be recognized until the party renounced violence and acknowledged Israel’s right to exist. Israeli officials said Putin’s move was tantamount to a Western country inviting Chechen terrorists to a state visit.
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