The Hamas terrorist organization condemned what it described as the "surrender" of the Palestinian Authority to "blackmail" and the pressures of the US administration to withdraw the proposed resolution in the UN Security Council, which would have condemned Israel’s presence in Judea and Samaria and its policy of home demolitions.
Hamas’ condemnation came after media reports indicated that the US administration worked to prevent the Palestinian Authority’s initiative in the Security Council, and in return Israel informed the US that it would not approve new communities in Judea and Samaria beyond the nine it has already approved, though it also did not commit to stopping the demolition of illegal buildings in Area C.
"The failure of the (Palestinian) Authority to declare a clear position against the Zionist settlement and the Zionist criminal actions give the (Zionist) entity a new pretext to continue its policy of terror against our (Palestinian) people," Hamas said in a statement.
Hamas called on the PA not to fall in the trap of the American illusions "but to fight this occupation and forcibly remove it from our land", and welcomed the position of the Arab group in the UN Security Council ahead of the vote on the UN resolution condemning Israel over its construction of Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria.