PA, Hamas say new government won’t change dealings with Israel

Palestinian factions in the West Bank and Gaza say they see little difference between the exiting government of Benjamin Netanyahu and the new “change government” led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

Hamas, a terror group that rules the Gaza Strip, says Netanyahu’s departure will not end their attempts to destroy the Jewish state.

“No matter the form of the Israeli government, it will not change the nature of our dealings with [Israel]. It is a settlement occupation entity that must be resisted and from which our rights must be wrested by any and all forms of resistance, foremost of which is armed struggle,” says Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhum.

In Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority Foreign Ministry says in a statement that they expect to see few changes in Israeli policy towards the Palestinians under Bennett’s fragile eight-party coalition.

“This time, a government without Netanyahu was formed in Israel. However, it is inaccurate to call it a ‘government of change,’ unless one means to say that Netanyahu is no longer there. As for [the new government’s] policies, we estimate that will see no difference, or perhaps even worse ones, ” the Foreign Ministry says.