Palestinians must tear up deal with Hamas: Netanyahu

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WASHINGTON: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday urged Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to tear up a pact with Hamas, and said a unilateral bid for Palestinian statehood must be opposed.

"Peace can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace. And Hamas is not a partner for peace," the Israeli premier told US lawmakers.

"Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction and to terrorism," he argued, as he referred to a reconciliation pact between Abbas's Fatah party and Hamas signed earlier this month.

"So I say to President Abbas, tear up your pact with Hamas. Sit down and negotiate. Make peace with the Jewish state."

The Israeli premier also took issue with a Palestinian drive, currently gathering steam, to convince the United Nations to unilaterally recognize an independent Palestinian state at its General Assembly in September.

"The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the United Nations will not bring peace," Netanyahu insisted. "It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict end."