Hazem Qasim, spokesman for the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), on Wednesday morning condemned the meeting between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli War Minister Bani Gantz.
Qasim wrote on his Twitter page:
The meeting of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with Israeli War Minister Bani Gantz has been condemned and rejected by all [Palestinian] patriots and has deviated from the national spirit of our Palestinian people.
He further explained:
This meeting coincides with the attack of the [Zionist] settlers on our people in the West Bank, which increases the severity of the crimes of the leaders of the Palestinian Authority and is considered a dagger to the intifada in the occupied West Bank.
A Hamas spokesman said the move would deepen the Palestinian political divide.
[This action] complicates the situation in Palestine, encourages some parties in the region who want to normalize with the occupiers, and weakens the Palestinian position, which rejects normalization.