Israel’s Security Cabinet Meets To Discuss Palestinian Unity Accord
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called an emergency meeting of the Security Cabinet to discuss Israel’s responses to the Palestinian’s unity agreement.
The Cabinet met Thursday in the wake of the agreement signed Wednesday between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party and Hamas, considered a terrorist organization in both Israel and the United States.
The meeting ended without a conclusion, the Times of Israel reported.
Following the signing of the agreement in Gaza, Israel cancelled a planned meeting with Palestinian peace negotiators.
Several members of the Security Cabinet have criticized the unity agreement, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Israel’s chief peace negotiator.
Senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub told Israel’s Army Radio Thursday morning that the reconciliation agreement obligates Hamas to accept a two-state solution.
Liberman reiterated Thursday morning there cannot be peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as long as the unity agreement is honored by Abbas.
“It is clear that as soon as Abbas chose to unite with Hamas, it is impossible to make peace with Israel,” Liberman told Israel Radio.
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