Israel's Security Cabinet today (Thursday, 24 April), unanimously decided that Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for Israel's destruction.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Instead of choosing peace, Abu Mazen [PA President Mahmoud Abbas] formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel.
Abu Mazen has formed an alliance with an organization whose
covenant calls for Muslims to fight and kill Jews. Hamas has fired more than 10,000 missiles and rockets at Israeli territory and has not halted terrorist actions against Israel even for a minute.
The agreement between Abu Mazen and Hamas was signed even as Israel is making efforts to advance the negotiations with the Palestinians. It is the direct continuation of the Palestinians' refusal to advance the negotiations. Only last month Abu Mazen rejected the framework principles proposed by the United States. Abu Mazen has refused to even discuss recognizing Israel as the national state of the Jewish People. He violated existing agreements by unilaterally applying to accede to international treaties and then formed an alliance with Hamas.
Whoever chooses the terrorism of Hamas does not want peace."
In a TV interview with NBC News' Andrea Mitchell Prime Minister Netanyahu called the decision to form a unity government comprised of Fatah and Hamas “a great reverse for peace.” PM Netanyahu further stressed that the Palestinian President "has to choose: Peace with Israel or a pact with Hamas.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday 23 April 2014, Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman said: "Abu Mazen must decide if he wants to make peace, and if so, with whom.
It is impossible to make peace with Israel as well as with Hamas, a terrorist organization advocating for Israel's destruction. Signing an agreement of a Fatah-Hamas unity government is tantamount to a signature on the end of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority."