April 24, 2014 - 15:50 AMT
Israel says Palestinian leader involved in ‘political terror’

Israel's foreign minister said a peace deal with the Palestinians is impossible after rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah agreed to form a unity government.

According to the Associated Press report, Avigdor Lieberman told Israel Radio on Thursday, April 24, that Israel should resist pressure to resume talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Lieberman said Abbas is involved in "political terror" and reached the deal Hamas in order to thwart peace talks.

Israel and the West consider Hamas a terrorist group.

The Palestinian factions have been split since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip from Abbas' forces in 2007. It remains unclear how the unity plan would succeed since past attempts have repeatedly failed.

The U.S. condemned the agreement announced on Wednesday, and Israel canceled a planned meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators.