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Statement from the Prime Minister's Bureau on the results of
the Palestinian elections
January 26, 2006
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this evening (Thursday),
26 January 2006, held a security discussion in the wake of
the results of the Palestinian Authority (PA) elections.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni,
Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra, Minister Tzahi Hanegbi,
IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz, ISA Director Yuval
Diskin and other senior officials attended the discussion.
The following statement was released:
"Today, it became known that the PA elections have resulted
in a victory for Hamas. There is no doubt that - from
Israel's point-of-view - a new situation has been created.
In
the Roadmap, the PA committed itself to dismantling all of
the terrorist organizations operating in its area. Israel
has upheld the Roadmap and has demanded - and continues to
demand - that PA Chairman Abu Mazen implement the obligation
to dismantle the terrorist organizations and their
infrastructures.
Approximately one year ago, the PA decided to hold elections
for its Legislative Council and to enable the main terrorist
organization - Hamas - to take part in these elections. At
the same time, the PA and its Chairman made a commitment -
both to us and to the international community - that a
condition for Hamas's participation in these elections was
that upon their conclusion the PA would work to disarm Hamas
and turn it from a terrorist organization into a political
organization, in accordance with its requirements under the
Roadmap.
The international community agreed to reverse the order and
allow the PA to hold the elections before the dismantling of
the terrorist organizations. We demand that the PA and its
Chairman honor this commitment in the shortest timeframe and
both disarm Hamas and the other terrorist organizations and
dismantle their other abilities to perpetrate acts of
terrorism.
The State of Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian
administration if its members include an armed terrorist
organization that calls for the destruction of the State of
Israel; in any case, Israel will continue to fight terrorism
with a heavy hand, everywhere.
Hamas has been declared to be a terrorist organization by
most of the international community. The international
community will not accept a situation in which a terrorist
organization takes part in an administration that seeks to
enjoy international legitimacy.
Acting Prime Minister Olmert and Foreign Minister Livni will
be in contact with international leaders ahead of the
upcoming Quartet meeting and the upcoming meeting of
European Union foreign ministers, which are due to take
place next week. Israel will demand that the entire
international community compel the PA and its Chairman to
implement the commitment to eliminate Hamas as a terrorist
organization that calls for Israel's destruction."
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