A little piece of history...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_support_for_Hamas
"...Use of Hamas to undermine the Palestinian Authority..."
"...In an interview with Israeli journalist, Dan Margalit in December 2012, Netanyahu told Margalit that it was important to keep Hamas strong, as a counterweight to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Netanyahu also added that having two strong rivals, this would lessen pressure on him to negotiate towards a Palestinian state..."
