Palestinian unity plan 'a facade'

ISRAELI Vice Premier Shimon Peres yesterday said the national unity government Palestinians are trying to establish would be nothing more than a “facade” because Hamas militants aren’t interested in peace.

The moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of the Fatah Party, declared last week that efforts to form such a government had broken down. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, the militantly anti-Israel group that now leads the Palestinian Cabinet, denied negotiations had reached a dead-end.

Hamas would use such a government in an effort to restore international funding that dried up after it took power, Peres said.

Abbas and Hamas talks foundered as Hamas refused to recognise Israel, renounce violence and accept peace deals.