Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has renewed US vows to boycott the Palestinian government unless Hamas meets US-Israeli demands. Clinton testified Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We will not deal with nor in any way fund a Palestinian government that includes Hamas, unless and until Hamas has renounced violence, recognized Israel, and agreed to follow the previous obligations of the Palestinian Authority. And that is our policy, and that is exactly what is guiding us, but we want to leave open the door that that can happen.”

The policy of opening the door to Hamas’s acceptance marks a slight rhetorical deviation from Bush administration policy, which unequivocally rejected any dealings with Hamas. But it continues the Bush policy of imposing conditions on Palestinians not imposed on Israel. Israel has long refused to renounce violence, recognize Palestine or agree to uphold prior agreements. In response to Clinton’s comments, Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan said, “Hillary Clinton must understand that there is a Palestinian democracy and there [were] Palestinian elections and someone won those elections.”

Meanwhile, Clinton was also asked about former Vice President Dick Cheney’s comments the Obama administration’s rollback of Bush torture policies is endangering the nation.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “Well, it won’t surprise you, I don’t consider him a particularly reliable source.”

This week, Cheney called for the release of documents that could prove what he called the “success” of the Bush administration’s torture methods in gaining new intelligence.