Caretaker Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad welcomed the announcement from Fatah and Hamas, who said they struck a deal to form a “national unity” government and hold elections within a year.
Fayyad said in a message on his Facebook page that the deal is a vital step toward unity and would lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as a capital.
Tawfiq Al-Tirawi, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee, said the deal will promote Palestinian interests that are “more important than peace with Israel.”
“Any Palestinian you ask will tell you we prefer Palestinian unity over peace with Israel,” Al-Tirawi said.
The Palestine People’s Party, Palestine Democratic Union (Fida), the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front, the Palestinian Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Palestinian Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine said in separate press statements that the unity deal is an important step for unifying people and ending their suffering.
The factions said the deal “will unify the Palestinian people in resisting the Israeli occupation.”
Khalil Assaf, representative of independent Palestinian figures assembly in the West Bank, said the deal was “the most important thing to happen to the Palestinians in 2011.”
Meanwhile, Israeli ministers and officials from the left and right expressed skepticism over the unity government.
Israeli President Shimon Peres called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas not to unite with Hamas. “We have an opportunity for peace and you’re ruining your chance for a Palestinian state single handedly,” said Peres.
He added that due to the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, he believes the attempt to get the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state come September will not succeed.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the agreement has “dramatic potential,” but it is doubtful that it will mature into a joint government.
Barak reiterated Israel’s position that it would not hold any discussions with Hamas, “a murderous organization whose aim is to destroy Israel.”
He stressed that if a joint Palestinian government were to rise, Israel would hold talks with the new government only if Hamas dismantles its terrorist infrastructure and recognizes Israel and previous agreements made with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the deal means that “terrorists” will launch missiles from the West Bank.
“A red line has been crossed, and Israel must decide what we are going to do,” Lieberman said. “Hundreds of terrorists from Hamas will go free throughout West Bank.”
Lieberman said that the agreement between the two Palestinian factions came because of “panic” on both sides.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni denounced Hamas, but hoped the unity government would agree to return to the negotiating table.
“Hamas is a terror organization that represents an extremist ideology that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist or previous agreements with Israel,” Livni said in a statement.
“Any Palestinian government will have to accept the Quartet’s conditions and work for peace with Israel. This is the time for Israel and the PA to make decisions; it will be a test,” she added.
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Palestinian leadership to choose between peace with Israel and peace with Hamas. The Palestinian leadership rejected his call.
Nabil Abu Rdeineh, Abbas’ spokesman, said that Netanyahu must choose between peace and the building of Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories.
