Prime Minister Netanyahu at his government's weekly cabinet meeting, in Jerusalem. Photo: Screenshot.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday called on the international community to take a strong stand against the Hamas-Fatah unity government that the Palestinian Authority is expected to announce on Monday.

Speaking at the start of his government’s weekly cabinet meeting, in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said: “I call on all responsible elements in the international community not to run to recognize the Palestinian government of which Hamas is a part and which rests on Hamas.”

“Hamas is a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel and the international community must not embrace it,” he said. “This will not strengthen peace; it will strengthen terrorism.”

Striking a more positive note, Netanyahu also spoke at the cabinet meeting about the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, being observed on Tuesday night and Wednesday, marking the giving of the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai, seven weeks after the  Exodus from Egypt.

In ancient times, Shavuot also marked the end of the barley harvest, and the beginning of the wheat harvest. Jews brought their first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 26:1-11), where special offerings were brought (Numbers 28:26-31) as thanks and in celebration of the season.

Netanyahu said, “On the upcoming Shavuot holiday we see the first fruits of the Land of Israel. And we see, here, the first fruits of the Land of Israel.”

“There are children here from the Negev and from Tzuba, in the Jerusalem hills. I see here wheat, grapes, fruit from the ground and many other things and of course, we merit to see the children,” he said.

“Shavuot also marks the giving of the Torah and the bringing of the first fruits and we always knew that we have a land flowing with milk and cyber,” he said, replacing the usual “honey” with Israel’s more modern produce, computer technology.