From: Jerusalem Post
The signing of the Hamas Fatah unity deal in Cairo is a setback for peace and an advancement for terror, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told reporters in London on Wednesday.
“What happened today in Cairo is a tremendous blow to peace and a great victory for terrorism,” Netanyahu said.
“Three days ago terrorism was dealt a resounding defeat with the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. Today in Cairo it had a victory,” said Netanyahu.
He charged that in signing this deal, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had “embraced” an organization that had condemned American action against Bin Laden, who it considered to be a great martyr.
“When he embraces this organization which is committed to Israel’s destruction and fires rockets on our cities, this is a tremendous set back for peace and a great advancement for terror,” Netanyahu said.
“What we hope will happen is that we find peace and the only way we can make peace is with our neighbors who want peace."
“Those who want to eliminate us, those who practice terror are not partners for peace,” Netanyahu said.
He spoke in advance of a scheduled meeting late Wednesday night with the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister David Cameron.
Israeli officials said that Netanyahu hopes to gain Cameron’s commitment that the United Kingdom will not support the deal unless Hamas accepts three principles set out by the Quartet a number of years ago.
Those principles include a demand that Hamas recognize Israel, renounced terror and abide by past agreements with Israel. Hamas refused to do so.
On Thursday, Netanyahu is expected to make the same request when he meets with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Netanyahu’s largest coalition partner, Israel Beiteinu, announced that in light of the official agreement between Fatah and Hamas, it would demand that the government cease all contact between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The right-wing party called to stop various inter-ministerial initiatives with the Palestinian Authority as well as the transfer of money to the Palestinian government.
“It is impossible to expect the State of Israel to transfer money to Hamas and in doing so to fund terror activities against Israel’s citizens,” the party complained. “Those who declared bin Laden to be a Muslim freedom fighter, as Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh did, and those who refuse to allow the Red Cross to visit Gilad Schalit cannot be partners in negotiations, either directly or indirectly.”
Palestinian leaders have defended the unity agreement, saying reconciliation with Hamas reflects a deep-seated public desire to end internal differences.
International leaders have had a cautious approach to the unity agreement. They wanted Hamas and Fatah to come together, but at the same time envisioned that it would come hand in hand with an acceptance of the Quartet's principles.
A spokesman for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Wednesday that Ban had always supported efforts for Palestinian unity, but did want to them play out within the frame work of the Quartet's principles and he urged all Palestinian factions to adhere to them.
Still, at the same time, he sent the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry to Cairo for the unity deal ceremony.
Separately, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon who is in Eastern Europe called on the European Union to threaten the Palestinian with financial consequences, should they fail to comply with the Quartet’s principles.
"As the largest funders of the Palestinian Authority, you have a heavy responsibility to make it clear to the Palestinians that failure to comply with the Quartet's conditions will be met with sanctions,” he said. He spoke after meeting with Estonia’s Foreign Minister Urmas Paet.
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