It is disturbing, he said, that 70 American senators last week signed a letter to Bush, initiated by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, calling on the president to "reevaluate all aspects of our relations" with the Palestinian Authority if the Islamic militant group Hamas becomes part of the Palestinian government. At the same time, Safieh said, it is encouraging that 30 senators did not sign.

Among those who did not sign were the Republican chairmen and ranking Democratic members of the two committees — Foreign Relations and Appropriations — that will play the most instrumental role in shaping America's relations with the P.A.

Well, that's very interesting. Not only does this new PLO envoy think it's okay for Hamas to be part of the PA government, he's open about it, and what's more, he's open about lobbying Washington toward this point of view.

And the Foreign Relations and Appropriations committee chairs also think it's okay for Hamas to join the Palestinian government. Let that one sink in for a moment.

Safieh was born in Jerusalem to a Christian Arab family but lived most of his life in Europe. He is married to a Belgian national, carries a Belgian passport, and is a familiar face in Europe, where he put an emphasis on working with non-governmental organizations.

Oh, he's a Euroweenie. That explains a lot. That's reassuring, actually; there's not a huge audience for that kind of thing here, and the groups which look to European NGOs for their inspiration are already in Mr Safieh's pocket. I don't see many new converts in his future, especially with that metrosexual affect.

In America, he plans to do the same. Churches, he said, are of particular importance, as are think tanks, the media, and the Arab and Jewish communities.

Kin you say . . . . Protestant divestment movement? I knew you could.

Safieh already has met with members of two American Jewish groups that strongly support America's efforts to advance the peace process, the Israel Policy Forum and Americans for Peace Now, though he managed to ruffle some feathers.

At his meeting with members of the IPF in New York earlier this month, he criticized Israel's refusal to release Palestinian prisoners, who according to Israel have "blood on their hands." Safieh said that if Palestinians use the same logic in their relations with Israel, they "would hardly find any Israelis to talk to." Some IPF members were offended by what they saw as Safieh's comparing non-combatant Israeli civilians to Palestinian terrorists.

One of the Jewish peaceniks at that meeting got the other cluepon, because he was so surprised to hear a PLO representative talk this way. But Safieh got his cluepon because his European anti-Israel rhetoric is too much for even the most lefty American lobbyists.

Asked if it was prudent to make such a remark during his first meeting with American Jews, Safieh was unapologetic. "In situations of belligerency, there are fighters on each side," he told the Forward, "and I don't accept the Israeli-Jewish approach that there is no moral equivalence and that Jewish blood is more precious than Palestinian blood."

In his dialogue with the Jewish community, he intends to be direct, Safieh said. "I am not in the massage business," he said, "massaging perceptions that I know to be untrue, and cultivating them as such."

Please continue to be direct, Mr Safieh. Go into the heartland of liberal Jewish America and be as direct as you were at that meeting, especially in that pissy posturing Euro way, and you will be one of the best friend Israel's ever had.

He said that his main message to American Jews will be that as Americans and as friends of Israel, they have both the moral duty and the strategic interest to help in the creation of a prosperous Palestinian state.

With elected officials from Hamas. Right.

Like I said, be as direct as you want, Mr Safieh. America needs to know what's on your mind.