Israel on Thursday rejected any contacts with the new Palestinian unity government, denying earlier statements by a senior official that it could work with it under certain conditions.
”The Israeli position remains the same,” government spokesperson Miri Eisin told the media in the first official reaction to the new Palestinian Cabinet line-up unveiled on Thursday.
”We will not recognise or deal with this government or with members of this government and we expect the international community to stand firm in their demand to adopt the three principles.”
She was referring to three conditions set by the international Quartet for Middle East peace — renouncing violence, recognising Israel and agreeing to abide by past peace deals.
The incoming Palestinian Cabinet has not agreed to abide by the conditions.
In its political programme, extracts of which have been obtained by Agence France-Press (AFP), it says it will only ”respect” past agreements, calls for a ”complete truce” in Israeli-Palestinian violence on condition that it is ”reciprocated”, and defends the Palestinian ”right of resistance”.
The programme does not mention Israel and says the new government will work towards creating a Palestinian state ”in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem as the capital” and towards ”the return of refugees to their lands”.
Earlier a senior Israeli official told AFP that the Jewish state would be ready to work with the new Palestinian government under certain conditions.
”If the new government manages to guarantee a swift and successful end to the problems of Gilad Shalit and the ongoing Qassam [rocket] fire, Israel will use a pragmatic approach that will allow working with the government,” he said on condition of anonymity.
He was referring to an Israeli soldier who was captured by Gaza-based militants nearly nine months ago and to rockets fired by gunmen from the coastal strip on a regular basis into the Jewish state. — Sapa-AFP