JERUSALEM (Reuters) – isrælske prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to use a visit to the United Kingdom and France to produce the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Unit deal with Hamas Islamists as a blow to the already dim prospects for peace.
Netanyahu is due to hold talks in London with British Prime minister David Cameron on Wednesday and now French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris on Thursday.
It will be the isrælske leader first trip abroad since the surprise announcement last week that Abbas and his long time rival Hamas had agreed to a unity Pact that foresees the formation of a transitional Government and the Palestinian elections this year.
"This is a major problem and raises all kinds of questions, and that the question will be very much on the table," said isrælske government official Tuesday.
"If (the Palestinians) want for a unity Government with Hamas, there is no doubt, is a step in the wrong direction--a very negative steps."
Hamas, which seized the Gaza Strip from the Fatah movement Abbas's in 2007, calls for the Isræls destruction in its founding Charter, although it has offered a long-term truce in exchange for a Palestinian State.
Israel refuses to negotiate with Hamas, and the United States and the European Union also shun group over its refusal to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept the existing temporary isrælsk-Palestinian peace agreements.
"Of course, we want to process with the Palestinians to move forward, but until now was their refusal to engage in a problem and now their decision to bring in Hamas, antithesis peace, further exacerbated a negative situation," the official said isrælskeprovides an overview of Netanyahu's position.
In Paris, Sarkozy told L'Express weekly, he will press for the launch of a new isrælsk-Palestinian peace process until Palestinian leaders would ask the UN's general Assembly in September to recognize State on all the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"We will take an initiative before the summer with the Europeans, to restart, together with the Americans, the peace process," said Sarkozy. "France wants the peace process must be restarted before the difficult's meeting in September."
Sarkozy said he hoped he would hear back Netanyahu the Palestinians ' right to State.
"My whole life has been a friend of Israel, but there will be no security for Israel without a viable, democratic and modern Palestinian State."
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Monday that the United Kingdom welcomed the deal to end the feud between the factions.
"Of course, plenty of detail must be drawn up and we will judge all by their actions and intentions. We will continue to work closely together on this, "said Håg during a visit to Cairo.
TALKS FIZZLE
U.S.-supported isrælsk-Palestinian negotiations on a lasting peace agreement was revived in September, but quickly became less likely after Netanyahu refused to extend a limited moratorium on construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Arab-isrælske war and wanted by the Palestinians as part of a future Member State.
Palestinian leaders have defended unit agreement, said reconciliation with Hamas, reflects a deep-seated public wants to end the internal differences.
The new Government, they said, would be composed of a Europe of Nations and the peace negotiations with Israel would remain Abbass Palestine Liberation organisation, as Hamas does not hear the responsibility.
On Sunday, blocked in response to the step unit Israel transfer of 105 million dollars in customs duties and other charges which are collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, a Abbass probably will be raised in the British and French conversations Move.
Palestinian unit also could help bolster an expected bid by Abbas to win's recognition of a Palestinian State in September, Washington had set a deadline for a peace agreement when negotiations was revived briefly eight months ago.
Israel has mounting a diplomatic drive against any UN statehood ratification.
Netanyahu is due to address a joint meeting of the United States's Congress in three weeks, and is designed to focus on the regional upheaval, Iran's nuclear programme and the Palestinian question. He gave no specific details about what he will say.
(Additional reporting by Catherine Bremer in Paris; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
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