Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today dismissed Palestinian unity talks saying he will not accept any deal unless it meets certain conditions.
He said he could not accept a deal that came “at the expense of our existence”, at a meeting of his Likud party in the illegal West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adumim where he also backed a law that would annex 19 settlements.
Netanyahu backs annexation of 19 West Bank settlements https://t.co/IQpQjXWKNc pic.twitter.com/DYHUlm853g
— The IMEU (@theIMEU) October 4, 2017
“For whoever wants reconciliation, our explanation to them is very simple: recognize the State of Israel, dismantle Hamas’ military wing and cut ties with Iran,” he said.
The Israeli government had previously kept quiet about the latest attempts at reconciliation, announced by Hamas two weeks ago, despite showing strong opposition to any deal in the past.
The hardline right-wing Education Minister Naftali Bennet had voiced his disapproval earlier today, demanding Israel stop transferring tax payments to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.
Netanyahu decries Palestinian reconciliation, promises thousands of settlement homes https://t.co/npe7Kz0Uex #Palestine pic.twitter.com/wYyvGkzdRf
— al whit (@soitiz) October 3, 2017
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah held his weekly cabinet meeting in Gaza today in a major sign of progress towards the Egypt-led reconciliation despite remaining complications.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
