MK Yossi Beilin, the head of Meretz-Yahad, said Saturday that the Annapolis conference will fail to bring peace and will strengthen Hamas.  “Annapolis as it is planned... will weaken the pragmatic Palestinian camp, strengthen Hamas, and is likely to lead to violence,” Beilin said during a “Culture Shabbat” event in Holon.

Beilin said it would be better to hold serious negotiations with the Palestinian Authority over “core issues” such as the status of Jerusalem than to attend a conference that will be attended by Arab ministers and others not responsible for making the final decisions.  He blamed the Israeli government for the foreseen failure at Annapolis, accusing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of preferring Shas and Yisrael Beiteinu to peace.