Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

(AP) -- A senior official of Hamas praised former President Jimmy Carter, a day after Carter met with the group.

But the official says Carter failed to persuade the Islamic rulers of Gaza to accept certain demands, including recognizing
Israel.  Carter visited Gaza on Tuesday and urged Hamas leaders to accept the demands to end an international boycott, which was imposed when the militant group overran Gaza two years ago.  Carter's meeting was unusual because of the boycott.  The United States, European Union and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist group and refuse to deal with it directly.

Ahmed Youssef, the deputy Hamas foreign minister, says Gaza's Palestinians were pleased to receive Carter.  But Youssef told The Associated Press that recognizing Israel is completely unacceptable.
   

(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)