This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-suspends-peace-talks-with-palestinians/2014/04/24/659aa218-cbc6-11e3-a75e-463587891b57_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Israel suspends peace talks with Palestinians | Israel suspends peace talks with Palestinians |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Israel broke off peace talks with the Palestinians on Thursday, a day after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced a reconciliation between his majority Fatah party and the militant Hamas faction, which does not recognize Israel as a legitimate country. | Israel broke off peace talks with the Palestinians on Thursday, a day after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced a reconciliation between his majority Fatah party and the militant Hamas faction, which does not recognize Israel as a legitimate country. |
| Israel’s announcement of the rupture effectively ends more than a year of U.S.-backed efforts to negotiate a deal that would establish an independent Palestine alongside Israel. Neither Israel nor the United States has declared the process dead, but the talks are due to expire next week unless both sides agree to an extension. | |
| In an emergency meeting Thursday, members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet said they would never agree to bargain with a group opposed to Israel’s very existence. | |
| “Abbas has formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls consistently for Israel’s destruction,” Netanyahu said in a statement issued shortly after the vote. “Instead of choosing peace, he has formed an alliance with an organization whose charter calls on Muslims to fight and kill Jews.” | “Abbas has formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls consistently for Israel’s destruction,” Netanyahu said in a statement issued shortly after the vote. “Instead of choosing peace, he has formed an alliance with an organization whose charter calls on Muslims to fight and kill Jews.” |
| Israel and the United States view Hamas as a terrorist organization, and the Obama administration has said it was disappointed by Abbas’s decision. | Israel and the United States view Hamas as a terrorist organization, and the Obama administration has said it was disappointed by Abbas’s decision. |
| In an interview with NBC News shortly after the announcement, Netanyahu said he hopes Abbas “changes his mind.” Until then, however, Netanyahu said his position is adamant. | In an interview with NBC News shortly after the announcement, Netanyahu said he hopes Abbas “changes his mind.” Until then, however, Netanyahu said his position is adamant. |
| “As long as I am prime minister of Israel, I will never negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by terrorist organizations committed to our destruction,” Netanyahu told NBC. | “As long as I am prime minister of Israel, I will never negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by terrorist organizations committed to our destruction,” Netanyahu told NBC. |
| In addition to suspending peace talks indefinitely, the Israeli government also said it was considering imposing economic sanctions against the Palestinian Authority as a way of punishing Abbas for the move. | In addition to suspending peace talks indefinitely, the Israeli government also said it was considering imposing economic sanctions against the Palestinian Authority as a way of punishing Abbas for the move. |
| Israel took similar steps last month after the Palestinians approached 15 international organizations to gain formal recognition as a state. Israel was angered by that move but did not cancel talks. The Hamas deal, however, made it impossible to continue, Israeli officials said. | |
| In his statement, Netanyahu charged that Hamas has allowed the firing of more than 10,000 rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip territory it controls. | |
| Late Wednesday night and Thursday morning, rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israeli territory, Israel’s military reported. | |
| On Wednesday, the United States said the agreement between Fatah and Hamas creates a serious hurdle to the nine-month-old peace talks led by U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry. | On Wednesday, the United States said the agreement between Fatah and Hamas creates a serious hurdle to the nine-month-old peace talks led by U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry. |
| In response to criticism from Israel and the United States, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub said that the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas would not pose an obstacle to peace. | In response to criticism from Israel and the United States, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub said that the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas would not pose an obstacle to peace. |
| In an interview with Israel’s Army Radio, Rajoub said that Abbas would implement the reconciliation and that he recognizes the state of Israel. He added that Hamas leader Ismail Haniya would be obliged to uphold Abbas’s policy. | In an interview with Israel’s Army Radio, Rajoub said that Abbas would implement the reconciliation and that he recognizes the state of Israel. He added that Hamas leader Ismail Haniya would be obliged to uphold Abbas’s policy. |