The Hamas terror group on Thursday signed a deal with the Fatah terror group that would unify both “wings” of Palestinian Authority terror under the banner of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Hamas top terrorist Khaled Mashaal signed the deal with Fatah’s terror leader and PA chief, Mahmoud Abbas.
Mashaal on Thursday agreed to join a committee that will coordinate elections to the reconstituted PLO, but elections are unlikely to take place anytime soon. Nevertheless, the move means that Fatah and Hamas will be working much more closely, and can coordinate their terror efforts against Israel.
Commenting on the development, Disapora Affairs and Hasbara Minister Yuli Edelstein said Thursday that Israel should have expected nothing different. Quoting the Biblical prophet Amos, Edelstein said that “here again we see that the starling went to the raven, as they are two of a kind. On Wednesday, Abbas, who rejects peace with Israel, met with Amna Mona, a murderer of our children, and on Thursday he signed a deal with the arch-murderer, who last week celebrated the murders of 1,365 innocent Israelis on the 24th anniversary of Hamas’ founding. At this moment he is establishing a ‘national terror government,’ that will increase its terror efforts against Israel and increase the suffering of Palestinians,” Edelstein said.
On Wednesday, Abbas met with Mona, who in 2001 lured Ophir Rahum, a 16 year old Jewish youth, to Ramallah after connecting with him in an internet chat room. Rahum was murdered in Ramallah by associates of Mona. Abbas met with Mona in Turkey, where he took a special trip to see her. Government spokesperson Mark Regev said that the meeting indicated that Abbas and the PA were “putting murderers up on a pedestal. It raises serious questions as to their commitment and their desire to end the (Mideast) conflict.” In response, PA top terrorst Jibril Rajoub, who accompanied Abbas to Turkey, said there was no reason for Abbas not to meet her, and that “there are Knesset members and general who are worse than her.”
