Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman said Thursday evening that following the Palestinian's announcement that they have formed a unity government andbased on the new government's platform, the Israeli government must discontinue any contact with President Mahmoud Abbas.
Lieberman told Ynet that the relationship with Abbas had been exhausted. "As soon as he declares the union government, Israel
no longer has any incentive to communicate with him," he said.
Lieberman also called on what he referred to as the "Israeli Zionist parties" to form a national emergency government in response to the Palestinian unity government.
"Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) has consented to Hamas' desire to destroy us," he said. "We must therefore sever connections from him. I am familiar with the prime minister's stand on this and his views are different from mine.
New boycotted ministers (clockwise from top left): Deputy Prime Minister Azzam Al Ahmed, Minister of the Interior Hani Al Qawasmi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ziad Abu Amr, Minister of Social Affairs and Tourism Saleh Zeidan, Minister of Information, Mustafa Barghouthi and Minister of Culture, Bassam As Salhi. (Photo courtesy of AFP)
"It is obvious that the new Palestinian Authority government is Hamas. They made that clear in their declaring that their aim is to achieve full implementation of the right of return. They want all the 1948 and 1967 refugees returned and the implications are clear," he said.
Lieberman continued to say that "It is a declaration of war on the State of Israel. They want to wipe us out. They have already announced that they will continue with terror acts until this demand is fulfilled."
Continued humanitarian aid
He said that it was important to strengthen Israel's stance regarding the Quartet's conditions. And that it was imperative that Israel ensures a united front against the new Palestinian government, continuing the sanctions against it as long as it does not redefine its approach.
Meanwhile, Israeli government officials were talking about boycotting the ministers of the new government but not the president. Their goal is to continue dealing with security issues and to continue providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians.
Nonetheless, the Prime Minister's Office has made it clear that activities within the international community would continue to ensure the pressure on the new government is maintained until it accepts the three demands of the quartet: Recognizing Israel, accepting prior agreements and putting an end to terror.
Only then would Israel communicate with the new government and its ministers.