Israel suspends peace talks by the Palestinian unity agreement

The Israeli government on Thursday suspended peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority (PA), one day after this announcement in Gaza his surprising reconciliation with rivals of the Islamist party Hamas's security cabinet of Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu , agreed this new freeze the peace process at a meeting of more than five hours.

The Palestinians on Wednesday got five weeks to form a national unity government that will lead the current leader of the Liberation Organization (PLO) and PA President, Mahmoud Abbas. announced the participation of Hamas in the future government.

Interim Executive alarm both Netanyahu and his American allies, that protect the last nine months of talks between Israel and the PA. Just five days before the end of the term for an agreement, Israel could have and the death certificate of the negotiations underway since last summer.

Hamas and the PLO fought a brief civil war in 2007 left the Gaza Strip in the hands of the Islamists and the West Bank under the control of President Abbas and his secular nationalist party, Fatah. Hamas had won legislative elections in 2006 and Abbas, the presidential elections last year. There have been no more elections since.

Hamas now looking out of the isolation in which they plunged the recent decline of its allies in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as improve the appalling living conditions in the Gaza surrounded by Israel. 

A Abbas and the PLO would do well to recover some of the lost legitimacy in the West Bank, where fatigue is rife with political stagnation and lack of prospects for the establishment of a state.

In the final stages of negotiations with Israel, Abbas's government has been threatening to dissolve the Palestinian Authority to sign the unexpected agreement announced unity government with Hamas.

There have been five weeks to finish the second end. His negotiator with the Israelis, Saeb Erekat, said he was "disappointed" by the reaction of Netanyahu. He said not to see contradiction between unity with Hamas and peace talks with Israel.

Following the announcement that the talks are suspended, Erekat said that the PLO will test "all options." The Palestinian reconciliation remains a priority for the PLO, which ensure that the future unity government recognize the existence of the State of Israel. Hamas has so far refused.

Netanyahu, for his part, said in an interview broadcast by the American television channel NBC that unity with Hamas is "a pact that ends with peace." He referred to it as a "powerful setback" for the process that should end decades of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians.

Apart from these negative reactions from the Government, the Israeli press skeptical analysis published on Thursday, the agreement between Palestinians. It would not be the first ending in wet paper before getting started.