British foreign secretary confirmed meetings were held between British diplomats and Hamas officials. Ahead of his arrival to Israel and the Palestinian territories Jack Straw confirmed that contacts have been made with Hamas.
Speaking to the BBC, Straw said: "We have a diplomatic job to do as others do, and our diplomats in the occupied territories - as anywhere else in the world - see part of their job, indeed part of their job is, to have contact with elected representatives.
"In the occupied territories it is de rigeur, it is required, that if a diplomat of whatever level goes in to a town, they go and talk to the mayor.
"What happened on two occasions - just two occasions - is that such discussions have taken place.
"But on each of those occasions our staff have spelt out to the elected official - they have been seen in that capacity and that capacity alone - our position overall in respect of no dealings with Hamas as an organisation as long as it continues to support violence and the destruction of Israel."
Straw went on to say that he had "argued actively for the strengthening of sanctions against Hamas and those organisations".
