Hamas: Abbas should end cooperation with Israel

The Palestinian Authority (PA) should stop all kinds of cooperation with Israel in respond to Israeli sanctions, Hamas said yesterday.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said: “In return for its efforts to negotiate a peace deal, the PA received a slap in the face by Israel.”

In the wake of a stalemate in peace talks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered non-security sanctions on the PA. He threatened to take more measures in this direction such as blocking PA tax revenues collected by Israel.

Barhoum called for PA President Mahmoud Abbas to take “parallel actions” and stop all kinds of cooperation, including security cooperation. He called for Abbas to release political Palestinian prisoners from PA prisons in the West Bank, calling this “a strong message to Israel”.

The Hamas spokesman called for Abbas to “turn his back to Netanyahu and open his arms to his people”. He called for “letting Palestinians respond [to the sanctions] in the way they see fit without PA restrictions.”

“Let people deter the Israeli occupation, defend our rights and protect our holy places and mosques,” Barhoum added.