Aaron Mannes, counterterrorism author and researcher at the Maryland Information and Network Dynamics Laboratory, Dec. 30, 2008:

Israel's operation in Gaza is reaching a critical point. While talking heads will debate grand strategy, the options are limited. Behind the headlines is the crucial issue of how Israel's national security process works (or doesn't - in light of the weaknesses revealed in the 2006 Lebanon war). The next moves will demonstrate whether or not Israel has successfully incorporated the lessons from the failures of the 2006 Lebanon War. This is crucial to re-establishing Israeli deterrence. A true peace agreement with Hamas is not realistic. A quick scan of clips from Hamas' al-Aqsa network or of statements by Hamas leaders from the Middle East Media Research Institute - particularly horrible are these scenes from Hamas produced children's television - should disabuse all but the most useful idiots of any notions of a moderate Hamas.

Anthony Zinni, former State Department special envoy to the Middle East, Dec. 30, 2008:

The former U.S. special envoy to the Middle East said Tuesday that President-elect Barack Obama should engage with Hamas under certain conditions, and sooner rather than later... In order for the new administration to engage with Hamas, Zinni said the militant group must be willing to end its rocket attacks and violence against Israel and commit to a peace process. In the long term, Zinni said, the next administration will have to take a new approach in dealing with the problem.

If there's been one reservoir of consistent success in the Middle East, it's certainly the retired US generals who go to Israel on the State Department's behalf. At least none of them are going to be President Obama's top security adviser.

For what it's worth J-Street also favors engagement with Hamas. That's not exactly a surprise since they're more anti-Israel than Israel's sworn enemies - but still, probably worth noting.

References:
* Managing Gaza [TerrorWonk]
* Obama should engage Hamas, former U.S. envoy says [CNN]
* Fatah Weapons Champion, Abject Failure Keith Dayton Said Nablus Was Fatah's "First Real Test" How's That Going? (Plus: Dozens Of Fatah Soldiers Building Rockets, Targeting Israelis) [MR]
* Obama's Top NSA And CIA Picks: Harsh On Israel, Sympathetic To Iran And Hezbollah [MR]
* Street Cred? [Kirchick / TNR]
* Of Course: "Pro-Israel" J-Street Is More Anti-Israel Than Israel's Sworn Enemies, Equates Israeli Self-Defense With Hamas Violence [MR]

Previously:
* Is There Anybody Who Wants To Destroy Israel Who Isn't Supporting Obama?
* Iran: Why Won't The Zionists Let Us Deliver This Totally Harmless Shipment To Hamas?
* AFP Helpfully Provides Crisp Example Of Institutional Anti-Israel Media Bias