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Fatah-Hamas unity government will strengthen terror, says Netanyahu | Fatah-Hamas unity government will strengthen terror, says Netanyahu |
(about 3 hours later) | |
The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, has called on the international community not to recognise a Palestinian government made up of the former rival factions Fatah and Hamas. | |
In a statement issued 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 not peace. | |
Via his Twitter account he said the unity government rested "on Hamas", which "was calling for the destruction of Israel". He said the international community should not embrace it. | |
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 decided. | |
On Thursday, Abbas confirmed that Rami Hamdallah would be prime minister in the new government, but the full cabinet announcement has been delayed as the two factions wrangle over key posts. | |
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. | 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. | 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 unity government, the Israel Defence Forces' civil administration in the West Bank told Israeli Army Radio. | |
The US had planned to give the West Bank and Gaza about $440m (£262m) in aid this year, but after the annoucement in April of the unity pact a state department spokesman said the deal could have "potential implications". | |
The response in Europe appears more conciliatory, the EU having welcomed the 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". | |
A Palestinian Liberation Organisation spokesman dismissed Netanyahu's comments. He said: "Declaring that a Palestinian government of independent professionals, that will adopt the political programme of the PLO under the mandate of Mahmoud Abbas, is an obstacle to peace, is simply another nonsense." |