News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The American government rejects another unity Palestinian Authority (PA) consisting of both Hamas and Fatah factions, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters. Pressed on the issue because of Egyptian mediations between Israel and Hamas and Arab efforts to bring the rival parties together, he stated that Hamas must "renounce--turn away--from violence [and] recognize previous agreements by the PLO, which includes recognizing Israel's right to exist. I haven't seen any indication that Hamas is prepared to meet those conditions."

He also revealed that former President Jimmy Carter requested a briefing by the State Department concerning his current trip to the Middle East, where he plans to meet with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Syria. McCormack said that Carter was briefed as "a matter of courtesy" to the former president although the government disagreed with his talking to Mashaal.