Abbas accuses PM of doublespeak on Hamas-Fatah unity

PA president rejects demand that he choose between Israel and Hamas, calls for renewed building freeze and threatens resignation.

Abbas311 reuters (photo credit: reuters)
Abbas311 reuters
(photo credit: reuters)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas rejected Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's demand that the PA choose between peace with Israel and unity with Hamas, Israel Radio reported on Thursday.
Abbas reportedly told members of the Council for Peace and Security that Netanyahu first says he doesn't have a partner for peace when the Palestinians are divided, and then opposes Palestinian unity.
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He also called for Israel to freeze construction in the West Bank for three more months in order to continue direct talks.
Abbas added that he will resign if the peace process does not continue.
His comments came two weeks after a CNN interview with Netanyahu, in which he came out squarely against Palestinian national unity efforts, asking how the Palestinian Authority can be “for peace with Israel and peace with Hamas that calls for our destruction."