Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud AbbasFlash 90

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned Wednesday's rocket fire from Gaza - not because of the threat to human or Israeli lives, but because of the threat to the Hamas-Fatah unity pact and Palestinian Arab security.

"The Palestinian factions intend to do all they can to keep the unity agreement that was signed in Egypt and in the understandings included in this agreement," Abbas stated. "This concerns the interests and security of the Palestinian people, and we cannot give Israel an excuse to continue the attack on Gaza."

Earlier Wednesday, a Kassam rocket fired by terrorists in Gaza exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council area in the northwestern Negev.

"Code red" sirens were sounded, and no injuries or damage was reported as a result of the attack.

The rocket fell near a central highway by one of the communities in the region.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly blamed Abbas for the rocket fire Wednesday. 

"Abbas is responsible and accountable for rockets that are fired at Israeli towns and cities by terrorists in the Gaza Strip," Ofir Gendelman wrote on Twitter.

Chief spokesman Mark Regev called for the PA to disarm terrorists later Wednesday, blaming Abbas for being, in his words, an enabler. 

"Abbas claims that the new Palestinian government honors all previous commitments," Regev said. "So why has he not disarmed the terrorist organizations in Gaza as he is obligated to do?" 

Abbas has insisted that a 'unity' government would be based on what he called "the four Palestinian principles":  recognizing Israel, recognizing the terms of international agreements, and the explicit rejection of violence and terrorism. 

On Tuesday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon warned that Hamas is preparing for the next clash with Israel, regardless of Abbas's insistence that he is committed to combating terrorism within the new PA.

"Hamas signed the reconciliation pact from a position of disadvantage. It has no better alternative,” Ya’alon said during a meeting with soldiers from the IDF’s Gaza Division. “But make no mistake: Hamas is preparing itself for a confrontation with Israel, training forces and storing missiles and rockets. It already has thousands of missiles and rockets pointed towards Israel."