Israel decided Tuesday to freeze tax revenue transfers to the PA and accelerate the construction of new homes in eastern Jerusalem, Gush Etzion, and Maale Adumim.

In a statement, Hamas said the decisions showed Israel had a policy to pressure and control the ‘Palestinian people.’

Hamas also cited Israel’s ‘bombardment’ of without reference to rocket attacks on Jewish communities launched from Gaza.

On Saturday, Islamic Jihad began launching barrages of rockets from Hamas-ruled Gaza at Israeli communities in the south, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted until Tuesday morning.

One Israeli civilian and 12 terrorists were killed.

Hamas urged Abbas, who heads the Fatah party, to rethink his policy of negotiating with Israel in favor national dialogue with all factions.

The Islamist terror movement urged Fatah leaders to build a new strategy based on resistance to achieve statehood.

Negotiations between Israel and the PA have been moribund for two years following a growing list of preconditions from Abbas for talks to begin.

Israel instituted a 10-month building freeze by the Netanyahu government in the ‘disputed territories’ to meet Abbas’ initial precondition for talks, only to be rebuffed and met with more demands.

Among those demands are Israel’s accepting the pre-1967 lines as a basis for future borders, the release of all terrorists held in Israeli jails, and sacrificing its own national identity as a Jewish state.

Israel has called for talks to resume without preconditions from either side.

Israel’s move to levy sanctions came after UNESCO voted in favor of admitting the PA to the UN cultural body.

Officials in Jerusalem say Abbas’ move to join UNESCO – as well as his unilateral bid for statehood at the United Nations in September – is a direct violation of the 1993 bilateral Oslo Accords.

The Olso Accords, which proscribe unilateral moves, are the foundational document for all contacts and cooperation – economic, ministerial, security, and infrastructure – between Israel and the PA.

This includes, finance ministry officials note, the transfer of tax revenues to the PA.