Speaking to international media, President Shimon Peres on Thursday said that "We would like to see the Palestinian people unite, but unite for peace".
"What happened yesterday [the unity deal] is a path that will lead to a clear disagreement: one Palestinian camp will call for peace, the other will call for the destruction of Israel. Hamas isn't changing its charter, hasn't ceased to be a terrorist organization, serves Iran and smuggles weapons."
"Fatah's move to unite with Hamas is a fatal mistake...Signing an agreement that will lead to elections in a year could result in a terrorist organization controlling Gaza and the West Bank, and Hamas's policies will win. This means the continued firing of rockets, the continued killing of innocent people, and continued Iranian intervention that supports and funds terrorism in our region".
In a personal call to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Peres said:
"I urge the Palestinian leadership: Unite for peace and don't put on a facade of unity that will prevent you from moving in any direction. Walking hand-in-hand with a terrorist organization will be a step backwards and will prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state."
"The world cannot support the establishment of a state part of whose government is a terrorist organization in every respect."
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also commented on the unity agreement on Thursday, saying the deal means that terrorists will launch missiles from the West Bank.
"A red line has been crossed, and Israel must decide what we are going to do , Hundreds of terrorists from Hamas will go free throughout Judea and Samaria".
"The international community should enforce the terms it gave the Palestinians: abandoning terror, recognizing Israel, and respecting previous agreements".
He also explained that the agreement between the two Palestinian factions came because of "panic" on both sides. Hamas is concerned that their "patron," Syrian President Bashar Assad, is facing a crisis, and Fatah's no longer has the support of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, Lieberman explained.
