Israeli delegation walks out of Addis conference due to Hamas participation

By JPOST.COM STAFF
The Israeli delegation at an inter-parliamentary conference in Addis Ababa walked out of the event Tuesday in protest of the presence of Hamas officials in the Palestinian team. The delegation was lead by Likud's Silvan Shalom and Kadima's Shlomo Molla. Shalom said that he could not sit in a conference with a terror group and that Hamas's participation was no different to the attendance of Taliban or al-Qaida representatives. During the conference, the Palestinian and Iranian delegations held up photos of Palestinians killed during the IDF's Operation Cast Lead and scenes of destruction from the Gaza Strip.