Israel conditions work with Palestinian gov't to no Iran ties

Israel says it will refuse any diplomatic talks with an emerging Palestinian unity government if Hamas plays any role within it.

In a statement released on Tuesday evening, Netanyahu’s security cabinet set out a series of conditions which appeared to complicate Egypt-sponsored efforts to end a decade-long split between PA Head Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement, which rules in the West Bank, and Hamas, which has been in control of Gaza.

Fatah and the rival Hamas this month reached a preliminary reconciliation agreement. The two groups signed a provisional unity agreement in Cairo earlier.

Israel’s lengthy list of preconditions for any negotiations includes a number of demands:

-   That Hamas recognize Israel and “desist from terrorism”.

 -  The group’s disarmament.

 -  The return of bodies of Israeli soldiers and Israeli civilians held by Hamas.

-   That Gaza be placed under the full security control of Abbas’s Palestinian Authority, including border crossings to prevent smuggling.

The Israeli statement also called on the Palestinian Authority to continue acting against Hamas on the West Bank and to sever its ties with Iran.