A new Palestinian unity government to be formed after a deal in Mecca between rival Fatah and Hamas factions will not recognize Israel, a political adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Saturday.

Ahmed Youssef said the unity government, which he expected Haniyeh to unveil within 10 days, would “respect” previous Palestinian peace accords with Israel but would not be committed to them, nor to recognizing the Jewish state.

Recognition of Israel is one of three conditions set by the “Quartet” of international Middle East negotiators for lifting sanctions on the Hamas-led government. The Quartet also demands Hamas renounce violence and accept existing peace deals.

“The issue of recognition was not addressed at all (in Mecca),” Youssef said.

“In the platform of the new government there will be no sign of recognition (of Israel), regardless of the pressures the United States and the Quartet would exert.”

The Quartet — the United States, Russia, European Union, and the United Nations — repeated its conditions on Friday for a resumption of aid, but withheld judgment on whether the new government met those conditions.

Youssef said a continuation of the aid boycott imposed after Hamas trounced Fatah in elections last year could lead to more violence in Palestinian Territories.

More than 90 people were killed in factional warfare in Gaza since President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah threatened to call fresh elections after earlier unsuccessful unity talks with Hamas.

Youssef said the Quartet was due to meet again on February 21, by which time Haniyeh planned to have announced his new government “so it can be an introduction to end the siege of the Palestinian people.”

He said Saudi Arabia, which hosted the Mecca talks, had promised to work for an end to the boycott and he hoped that would persuade the Quartet to lift the embargo.

MECCA DEAL

The coalition deal signed by Hamas and Fatah on Thursday made no explicit mention of recognizing Israel. Abbas had sought a clear statement that the new government would be “committed” to past accords, as a formula for offering implicit recognition.

A letter from Abbas reappointing Haniyeh as prime minister called on Hamas to “abide by the interests of the Palestinian people,” and to “respect international law and agreements signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).”

The United States gave a cautious response to the agreement, saying it needed more time to study it.

Russia welcomed the accord and appealed for a lifting of the freeze on direct aid to the Palestinian government. France said the international community should back the new government, but some of its European Union partners were more muted.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said splits were emerging in the Quartet position, and called for a change of heart.

“The unity government will respect the commitments of the PLO and its agreements with the world in the way that preserve the full rights of the Palestinian people. And therefore the Quartet committee should respect the Mecca agreement,” he said.