Israel’s security cabinet bars talks with Palestinians until Hamas disarms

Israel’s security cabinet, at a session summoned Tuesday to study the Egyptian-brokered Palestinian unity deal, decided against holding negotiations with the Palestinians so long as Hamas was not disarmed.

Hamas is a terrorist organization which has vowed to destroy Israel, said the statement from the meeting. Therefore, Israel will not conduct negotiations with a Palestinian administration that shares government with Hamas and until additional conditions are met:

Hamas must recognize the State of Israel and repudiate terrorism, as directed by the Mid East Quartet; disband is military arm;  immediately hand back Israeli MIAs and civilians it is holding in the Gaza Strip; and pass full security control of the territory to the Palestinian Authority, including the crossings, through which smuggling must be stopped.

The PA must furthermore break up Hamas’ terror network in Judea and Samaria, sever its ties with Iran and channel the flow of aid funds and humanitarian equipment to the Gaza Strip through routes under PA control. So long as Hamas calls for Israel’s destruction and retains its arms, Israel will hold it responsible for all terrorist attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip and respond accordingly.