Today, Hamas' Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh met with Egyptian intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Murad Mowafy.
This is not too surprising; after all Egypt's president Mohamed Morsi met with Hamas politburo leader Khaled Meshal last week.
But what should raise eyebrows in the West is that Mowafy also met today with Islamic Jihad's leader in Gaza, Ramadan Shalah.
Some leftist Westerners have tried to argue that Hamas, by being elected and by assuming a political role, is more than a terrorist organization and should be engaged. They are willing to look the other way when Hamas (or, for that matter, Hezbollah) shoots rockets at civilians or assassinates opponents. They say that "you can only make peace with your enemies." They seize on any hint of moderation or pragmatism on the part of unrepentant terrorist groups because, in their wishful thinking, they hope that the groups can change.
But Islamic Jihad has none of these attributes. It is a terrorist group and nothing else. There is no daylight between Islamic Jihad and Al Qaeda in philosophy or tactics.
For Egyptian officials to meet with Islamic Jihad should elicit a strong protest from the US, UN and the EU. Now, early in Morsi's term, is the time that the West should make it clear that coddling terrorists is not acceptable, even for the Muslim Brotherhood.
But...this meeting will be ignored.
Because in today's political climate, Don't Upset the Muslims is Rule #1.
