Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would not appoint any minister to the Palestinian unity government that does not publicly recognize Israel, Asharq Al-Awsat reported Oct. 31. Abbas added that any government must be committed to the agreements of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). While Hamas has repeatedly stressed it would not recognize the existence of Israel, the group has not responded to Abbas' comments to avoid any internal tensions amid reconciliation efforts. Fatah and Hamas signed a historic reconciliation agreement on Oct. 12, following a decade of conflict between the two rival Palestinian parties.