Thursday, September 1, 2011

Fatah-Hamas deal is ' smokescreen ': Israel minister (AFP)

JERUSALEM (AFP)-a reconciliation agreement as rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas was to finalise on Wednesday is "smokescreen," Isræls home front defence minister Matan Vilnai said.


"Nothing will change after the entry into force of this agreement, because this is all a smokescreen," Vilnai told isrælske public radio such as Hamas and Fatah officials prepared a ceremony in Cairo marking the signing of the agreement a day earlier.


"Hamas and Fatah cannot agree on something, and the best example of that came with the killing of the super terrorist Osama bin Laden," he added.


While Fatah figures and members of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank welcomed the killing of bin Laden, condemning the Hamass prime minister in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, raid, killed Al-Qaeda Chief.


Vilnai said that Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, who is also the leader of Fatah, "a mistake in accepting this agreement, when Hamas is in a situation of vulnerability, which explains why it made the step towards reconciliation."


The Minister said Abbas should have insisted on a "clear statement from Hamas recognises Israel and condemn the terrorism before the signing."


Reconciliation deal signed by Hamas, Fatah and other Palestinian factions on Tuesday 11 provides for the formation of a transitional Government in a Europe of Nations to lay the foundations for the presidential elections and parliamentary elections within a year.


It has been welcomed by the Palestinians in the territories shared, but Israel reacted angrily to the deal, threatening to withhold the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues until it could be sure that no money would go to Hamas.


Despite his criticism of the Unit deal spoke against Vilnai decision to suspend the transfer of funds.


"The freeze is a mistake, it is money we collect from the Palestinians, belongs to them," he said.


"This decision is a violation of previous agreements. In this case we cart before the horse. We should have waited to see how they would spend money before acting, "he added.


Israel collects taxes for the Palestinians at border crossings and ports and transfers of funds to the authority under Abbass an economic agreement agreed together with the Oslo autonomy accords.


Revenue amounting to between 3.5 and 5.0 billion shekels ($ 1.04 $ 1.48 billion) each year and represent a significant part of the budget of the authority.


 

No comments:

Post a Comment