Source: The Jerusalem Post
Nov 07, 2006
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday urged the international community not to be fooled by "Palestinian" plans to form a unity government that appears to not include the extremist Hamas organization.
Livni noted that all that should matter "is the guiding principles of the Palestinian government," not who is filling the cabinet seats.
Her comments came in response to weekend reports that Hamas and PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas had reached a tentative unity government deal that they hoped would bring an end to months of crippling Western economic sanctions.
Since Hamas refuses to meet international demands that it recognize Israel's right to exist and renounce terrorism, the agreement would see the current Hamas-dominated cabinet replaced by a independent technocrats who fit the world's definition of Arab "moderates."
However, as the largest party in the PA parliament, Hamas would continue to exercise a great deal of control over the government.