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Fatah-Hamas unity government will strengthen terror, says Netanyahu Fatah-Hamas unity government will strengthen terror, says Netanyahu
(35 minutes later)
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called on the international community not to recognise a Palestinian unity government made up of former rival factions Fatah and Hamas. The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has called on the international community not to recognise a Palestinian unity government made up of former rival factions Fatah and Hamas.
In a statement before the expected announcement of the full Palestinian cabinet on Monday, Netanyahu again branded Hamas a terrorist organisation and said that the new government would strengthen terror and not peace. In a statement before the expected announcement of the full Palestinian cabinet on Monday, Netanyahu again branded Hamas a terrorist organisation and said the new government would strengthen terror and not peace.
Via his official Twitter account, he said the unity government "rests on Hamas" which "calls for the destruction of Israel, and the international community must not embrace it". Via his official Twitter account, he said the unity government "rests on Hamas", which "calls for the destruction of Israel, and the international community must not embrace it".
His comments come just hours after the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that Israel had vowed to cut all ties with the Palestinian Authority (PA) once the new unity government is announced. Abbas confirmed on Thursday that Rami Hamdallah would serve as prime minister in the new government, but the full cabinet announcement has been delayed as the two factions wrangle over key posts. Earlier the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said Israel had vowed to cut all ties with the Palestinian Authority (PA) once the new unity government was announced.
Abbas said that Israel is expected to withhold tax revenue from the PA, a move that the country made in 2012 in response to a Palestinian UN statehood bid and which precipitated an economic crisis that led to riots in the West Bank. On Thursday, Abbas confirmed that Rami Hamdallah would serve as prime minister in the new government, but the full cabinet announcement has been delayed as the two factions wrangle over key posts.
Netanyahu and other senior Israeli politicians have been outspoken in their opposition to the unity deal between Hamas and Fatah – agreed in April – which brings to an end a seven-year feud between the two parties that has seen Gaza increasingly isolated and been a source of rising anger to many Palestinians. Abbas said Israel was expected to withhold tax revenue from the PA, a move last made in 2012 in response to a Palestinian UN statehood bid and which precipitated an economic crisis that led to riots in the West Bank.
Netanyahu and other senior Israeli politicians have been outspoken in their opposition to the unity deal between Hamas and Fatah – agreed in April – which brings to an end a seven-year feud between the two parties.
On Sunday, Israel denied travel permission to three Palestinian politicians wanting to leave Gaza for the West Bank before their swearing-in as ministers in the new unity government, the Israel Defence Forces' civil administration in the West Bank told Israeli Army Radio.On Sunday, Israel denied travel permission to three Palestinian politicians wanting to leave Gaza for the West Bank before their swearing-in as ministers in the new unity government, the Israel Defence Forces' civil administration in the West Bank told Israeli Army Radio.
The United States had been planning to give the West Bank and Gaza around $440m (£262m) in aid in 2014, but in the aftermath of the April announcement a US state department spokesman would only reveal that the deal could have "potential implications". The United States planned to give the West Bank and Gaza around $440m (£262m) in aid in 2014, but in the aftermath of the April announcement a US state department spokesman said the deal could have "potential implications".
The response in Europe appears more conciliatory, the EU having welcomed the April deal. In a statement on 24 April, it said that it had consistently called for reconcilliation between Hamas and Fatah and that it "welcomed the prospect of democratic elections". The response in Europe appears more conciliatory, the EU having welcomed the April deal. In a statement on 24 April, it said it had consistently called for reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah and that it "welcomed the prospect of democratic elections".