Special to WorldTribune.com

RAMALLAH — The Palestinian Authority has announced a government with Hamas.

Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has been assigned to head an interim government that reflected a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. The new Cabinet of Hamdallah, deemed close to Hamas, was sworn in on June 2 in a ceremony attended by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

“By forming the national consensus government today, we hereby announce
the end of division which had resulted in catastrophic consequences to our
national cause during the past seven years,” Abbas said.

Hours after the PA ceremony, Israel said it would not negotiate with the
new Palestinian government. The Cabinet authorized Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu to impose “additional sanctions” on the PA.

“The agreement with Hamas makes Abu Mazen [Abbas] directly responsible
for the terrorism emanating from Gaza,” Netanyahu said. “The state of Israel
will not conduct diplomatic negotiations with a Palestinian government that
relies on Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of
Israel.”

Abbas was referring to the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007.
Fatah, with heavy support from Israel and the United States, remained in
control of the West Bank.

The new Cabinet was meant to last six months as the PA prepared for
elections in 2015. Abbas called for international support despite Israeli
pledges to boycott the Fatah-Hamas government.

“We do not want escalation nor do we seek more tension, but we will not
stand idly in the face of collective punishment,” Abbas said. “We will
use political, diplomatic and legal means to react [to these threats].”

Officials said the reconciliation agreement could enable PA forces to
enter the Gaza Strip. But they said Hamas would be allowed to retain its
hold over the strip until after the elections.

“We will face many obstacles,” Abbas said. “But we believe the train of
reconciliation has already taken off and no one can stop it. Our people will
not allow that to happen again.”

  Benjamin Netanyahu, Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinians install ‘consensus’ government with Hamas; Israel vows not to negotiate, Rami Hamdallah