
According to the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency, Abbas made the statements during a visit of French solidarity activists in Ramallah. He reportedly said that the unity government should be formed by Monday, and would be ‘composed of independents and experts, not members of Fatah or Hamas or any other organization.’ Abbas stressed that the PA was taking ‘Israeli threats’ seriously and would be prepared to respond if Israel followed through and cut ties with the PA. ‘We will take things step by step and we will not be the ones who initiative. We will respond against any action. When Israel decides to prevent us from (accessing) the money that it collects on our behalf -- as opposed to the three percent that it takes (currently) that is not their right -- we will have a response,’ he threatened…”