Published on FRANCE 24 (http://www.france24.com/en)
Israel tells UN of 'concern' at Palestinian unity
By blade
Created 30/04/2011 - 22:41
Israel expressed its concern Saturday to the UN about a reconciliation deal
between Palestinian factions, as Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya said he was
ready to resign as part of the pact.
Defence Minister Ehud Barak on Saturday told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
of "Israel's concern" over the unity accord struck Wednesday between Hamas and
Fatah, according to a statement.
During a telephone conversation, Barak told the UN chief that "Hamas is a
terrorist organisation that fires rockets and missiles" at Israel.
He recalled the death of a young Israeli who was seriously injured on April 7
when an anti-tank missile was fired at a school bus by the armed wing of Hamas
operating in Gaza.
The attack unleashed a wave of violence, the deadliest since Israel's
devastating 22-day offensive on Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009.
"We expect world leaders and especially the United Nations to attach conditions
to any cooperation with a Palestinian unity government -- to whatever extent
that this will happen -- so that it includes the conditions of the Quartet,"
Barak said.
As part of its "roadmap" to peace, the Quartet -- the United States, European
Union, Russia and the United Nations -- set certain conditions so far rejected
by Hamas.
They include the cessation of violence, recognition of existing agreements
between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and Israel's right to
exist.
On Wednesday, the rival Palestinian groups reached an "understanding" in Cairo
to set up a transitional unity government and hold elections. However, the
accord makes no mention of these principles.
The Quartet's 2003 roadmap also requires the freezing of Israeli settlement
building in the West Bank including east Jerusalem, a condition the Jewish
state has never accepted.
Barak's conversation with the UN chief was part of the Israeli government's
campaign to counter international recognition of a Palestinian unity government
that includes Hamas.
Meanwhile Haniya, who heads the Hamas government in power in the Gaza Strip,
said on Saturday he was "ready to resign."
"I am prepared to tender my resignation as part of the reconciliation agreement
between Hamas and Fatah," the secular party of Palestinian president Mahmud
Abbas.
"This agreement is very important and should boost efforts to end the divisions
and encourage unity among Palestinians," he added.
Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad expressed the hope on Wednesday that
the agreement could lead to "the reunification of the nation, needed to enable
our people to decide their destiny and to establish an independent state on all
territories occupied since 1967, with east Jerusalem as its capital."
Egypt has tried to bring the two Palestinian factions together since Islamist
Hamas defeated Fatah loyalists in week-long street battles four years ago after
Hamas won 2006 elections, reducing Fatah's power base to the Israeli-occupied
West Bank.
Fatah and Hamas have been at loggerheads ever since. The Palestinian factions
were on the verge of agreeing a deal in 2009 that would have led to a
transitional government ahead of elections when Hamas pulled out.
The Egyptian authorities said this week they will soon reopen the Rafah border
crossing to Gaza -- largely shut at Israel's behest since June 2006.
* AFP
* Mid-East
Source URL:
http://www.france24.com/en/20110430-israel-tells-un-concern-palestinian-unity
------------------------------------
Post message: [email protected]
Subscribe : [email protected]
Unsubscribe : [email protected]
List owner : [email protected]
Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
