Mehmood Abbas speaking in UN General Assembly in 2011
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas must abandon Fatah’s pact with Hamas if he wants peace, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the BBC.
Israel earlier suspended peace talks with the Palestinians in response to a unity deal between the two factions.
The US has voiced its “disapproval”, but is not ready to declare the talks over and is “still making the effort”.
Fatah and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to form a unity government within weeks and hold elections six months later.
They have been at odds since Hamas, which won parliamentary elections in 2006, ousted forces loyal to Mr Abbas and Fatah in the Gaza Strip during clashes in 2007 and set up a rival government.
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Analysis
Prime Minister Netanyahu was clear – Israel, he said, would not negotiate again with the Palestinians of the Fatah faction, led by President Abbas, until it ends its pact with Hamas. “He can have peace with Israel or a pact with Hamas – he can’t have both,” he told me.
Palestinian sources have told me they will only talk again if Israel agrees to preconditions – including a cessation of building in Jewish settlements across the occupied territories they want for a future state – including East Jerusalem.
Both sides are demanding concessions from the other side that they are unlikely to get. If both Israel and the Palestinians stick to their positions it will mean that the nine months of talks brokered by the Americans have failed.
‘No right to interfere’
Mr Netanyahu told the BBC’s Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen that Mr Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority and leader of Fatah, could “have peace with Israel or a pact with Hamas – he can’t have both”.
He said Israel would only resume peace talks with Palestinians “when they decide to abandon the course of terror”.
“As long as I’m prime minister of Israel, I will never negotiate with a Palestinian government that is backed by Hamas terrorists that are calling for our liquidation,” he added.
The chief Palestinian peace negotiator, Saeb Erekat, insisted that Palestinian reconciliation was an internal matter.
“Israel had no right to interfere in this issue,” he told the Associated Press.
The prime minister of the Hamas-led government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, meanwhile said he was not surprised by Mr Netanyahu’s decision.
Please do not delete my respond, if you really promote love for all. May Allah bless you
HAMAS is extremist Muslim want to impose their belief to others.They accuse all christian, Jews and Muslim who do not share their belief are INFIDEL, any of Islam, should be punished.
Hamas still want to throw Israel from its country to the sea. Hamas do not accept the existence of Israel.
I believe that there is no peace between Israel and Palestine.
Also there is no peace in Muslim countries if King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia treat religious minorities such as (2 million Muslim Shia, Christian etc ) who live in Saudi Arabia UNFAIRLY.
Human Right ensure the path of peace.
All love.