GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Representatives of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas announced a historic unity deal on Wednesday to bring to an end to more than seven years of political division between the main Palestinian political parties.

Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh announced the end of years of Palestinian political division in a press conference in Gaza City, saying that the Hamas and PLO delegations had worked as "one team" throughout the reconciliation dialogue and had stressed the necessity of achieving results in this round of dialogue.

The joint PLO-Hamas statement given at the conference also authorized the Palestinian Authority president to set a date for new elections, and emphasized the commitment of both sides to the reconciliation principles that had been agreed upon in the Cairo Agreement and the Doha Declaration.

They also emphasized the need to reactivate the Palestinian Legislative Council.

Fatah leader Azzam al-Ahmad said that neither side will accept the resumption of negotiations with Israel without clear guidelines, and that negotiations had stalled as a result of "Israel intransigence" and "American bias."

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=692371

The Palestinian Authority can either make peace with Hamas or with Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday, warning PA President Mahmoud Abbas that a reported reconciliation deal with the terrorist organization ruling Gaza would mean the end of the current, US-mediated effort to negotiate a peace deal.
Netanyahu: Abbas must choose between Israel and Hamas

“Instead of moving into peace with Israel, he’s moving into peace with Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “He has to choose: Does he want peace with Hamas or peace with Israel? You can have one but not the other. I hope he chooses peace; so far he hasn’t done so.”

During a meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said Israel was trying to extend peace negotiations with the Palestinians beyond their April 29 deadline, but blamed Abbas for “raising additional conditions” that he knows Jerusalem cannot accept.

Abbas told a group of Israeli journalists Tuesday that the Palestinians would agree to extend negotiations with Israel by nine months on the condition that Israel agreed to immediately commence discussing the borders of the future Palestinian state, and froze settlement construction, including in East Jerusalem.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-abbas-must-choose-between-israel-and-hamas/

Israeli jets hit Gaza during unity deal celebrations

Israeli planes struck Gaza from the air Wednesday as Hamas and Fatah announced a historic reconciliation nearby in the Palestinian enclave.

Medical official Ashraf al-Kidreh said the airstrike missed its target and wounded bystanders.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement the strike was a “joint anti-terror operation” with the Shin Bet security service. It said “a hit was not identified.”

The intended target — an Islamic Jihad operative — escaped unscathed, according to the Ynet news site. The site reported that the operative was en route to launch rockets at Israel.

The wounded included a 50-year-old man and his two daughters, according to the Palestinian Ma’an News Agency, which put the injury toll at seven.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-jets-hit-gaza-during-unity-deal-celebrations/

Israel cancels peace talks meeting after unity deal announced

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu cancelled a planned session of peace talks with Palestinian negotiators on Wednesday after news of a unity deal between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Hamas was announced.

"Israel has canceled a negotiations meeting that was expected to be held this evening," a statement released by the prime minister's office on Wednesday said, without further explanation, according to Reuters.

The cancellation comes hours after top Palestinian political leaders from the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Hamas announced a reconciliation deal after more than seven years of political division.

Israeli officials lambasted the deal, with economy minister and chairman of the "Jewish Home" party Naftali Bennett saying: "The Palestinian Authority has become the world's largest terror organization; we have entered a new political era in the Mideast," according to Israeli newspaper the Jerusalem Post.

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