Israeli FM lashes out at Palestinian unity deal
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's foreign minister says a peace deal with the Palestinians is impossible after rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a unity government.
Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Radio on Thursday that Israel should resist pressure to resume talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Lieberman says Abbas is involved in "political terror" and reached the deal Hamas in order to thwart peace talks.
Israel and the West consider Hamas a terrorist group.
The Palestinian factions have been split since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip from Abbas' forces in 2007. It remains unclear how the unity plan would succeed since past attempts have repeatedly failed.
The U.S. condemned the agreement announced on Wednesday, and Israel canceled a planned meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators.
