WASHINGTON (AFP) — An advisor to Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama has left the campaign after a British newspaper asked him about meetings with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, media reports said Friday.
Robert Malley, who works for the International Crisis Group, said he served as an "informal" Middle East advisor to Obama and told NBC News he decided to step down after the Times of London inquired about his contacts with Hamas.
"I decided based on the fact that this was becoming a distraction that it was best that I remove myself from any association with the campaign," Malley told NBC.
"My job with the International Crisis Group is to meet with all sorts of savory and unsavory people and report on what they say. I've never denied whom I meet with; that's what I do."
The Times quoted Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt as saying: "Malley has, like hundreds of other experts, provided informal advice to the campaign in the past. He has no formal role in the campaign and he will not play any role in the future."
The issue of Hamas, viewed as a terrorist outfit by the United States and Europe, has dogged the Obama campaign as Republican rival John McCain's team has repeatedly brought up the militant group's alleged support for Obama.
"Once it hits the Times of London it becomes too much of a distraction, especially since the McCain campaign seems to want to make this an issue," Malley said, noting that other bloggers and web sites had already attacked him.
Obama and McCain traded barbs Thursday in a heated exchange over McCain's labeling of the Democrat as the favorite candidate of the Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip and refuses to recognize the existence of Israel.
Obama called McCain's tactic a "smear" that was "unfortunate, particularly since my policy toward Hamas has been no different than his."
Both have described Hamas as a terrorist organization and said Washington should not negotiate with it until it recognizes Israel, renounces violence and agrees to abide by peace deals between the Jewish state and the Palestinians.
In a conversation with conservative bloggers last month, McCain said it was "very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president," adding: "If Senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly."
Recent polls suggest one in seven Americans believes Obama is a Muslim, even though he was baptized more than 20 years ago and attends a Christian church.
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