(IsraelNN.com) Senior members of the cabinet despaired of the chance for peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Thursday, following Fatah's decision to accuse Israel of killing former PA Chairman Yasser Arafat. The accusation was made during the Fatah international leadership convention in Bethlehem.
The accusation casts serious doubts on Israel's ability to make progress in negotiations with Fatah head Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PA, said ministers Eli Yishai and Yisrael Katz.
"The Fatah conference and the decision regarding Arafat prove that [Abbas] is not a leader, but rather, is led, towards bizarre and extremist anti-Israel positions,” Katz told Ynet.
"Whoever wants war, will get war,” he warned.
Yishai, the head of Shas, was even more direct in his rejection of Abbas as a peace partner. “This is additional proof that diplomatic dialogue on Mars has a better chance of success than do talks in our region,” he said.
Fatah's leadership is attempting to pacify extremists within the party, and by doing so, is legitimizing terrorism against Israel and proving itself unworthy as a peace partner, he added.
The accusation casts serious doubts on Israel's ability to make progress in negotiations with Fatah head Mahmoud Abbas, who also heads the PA, said ministers Eli Yishai and Yisrael Katz.
"The Fatah conference and the decision regarding Arafat prove that [Abbas] is not a leader, but rather, is led, towards bizarre and extremist anti-Israel positions,” Katz told Ynet.
"Whoever wants war, will get war,” he warned.
Yishai, the head of Shas, was even more direct in his rejection of Abbas as a peace partner. “This is additional proof that diplomatic dialogue on Mars has a better chance of success than do talks in our region,” he said.
Fatah's leadership is attempting to pacify extremists within the party, and by doing so, is legitimizing terrorism against Israel and proving itself unworthy as a peace partner, he added.