Israel will not deal with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority if it brings Hamas into the government, a senior Israeli official said Saturday night, a few hours after PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met in Ramallah with a senior Hamas delegation for conciliation talks.

"Abbas has to choose whether he wants peace with Israel or peace with Hamas," the official said. "He can't have both. If he chooses peace with Hamas it will bury the peace process [with Israel]."