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Netanyahu: Abbas can still withdraw from reconciliation agreement with Hamas

May 4, 2014 at 10:24 am

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waged an international media campaign to press the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to retreat from the reconciliation agreement signed between Fatah and Hamas.


Netanyahu said that he could return to the “path of peace” provided that “the Palestinian Authority retreats from its agreement with the Gazan terrorist organisation”.

Netanyahu told American news network NBC that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas can “change the course” of his new alliance with Hamas and, if he did, Israel will be ready to continue the negotiations.

The premier said: “Israel cannot continue the political process with a Palestinian government that receives support from a terrorist organisation that made eliminating Israel its prime goal.

“I think the pact with Hamas kills peace. If it moves forward, it means peace moves backward.”

According to him, Abbas has to choose between “peace with Israel and his coalition with Hamas. We are not talking about no way out here. There is still an opportunity for Abbas to change the course and abandon his new alliance.

“If we find a Palestinian partner and a Palestinian leadership which is ready to move towards genuine peace talks, Israel will be there, and I’ll be there.”

Israel’s Security Cabinet yesterday decided to suspend negotiations with the Palestinian Authority and to impose several economic sanctions against the Palestinian government unless the reconciliation agreement with Hamas is broke down.