Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of meeting with Hamas leaders in an interview with Al Arabia on Thursday.  Abbas said that Israeli officials were meeting with senior members of the terrorist group in an attempt to restart trade with Gaza.

Spokesmen in the Prime Minister’s Office denied the claims.  Hamas spokesmen denied Abbas’s claims as well, and accused Abbas of using the claim of ties with Israel as a smear tactic meant to damage the group’s reputation.