Hamas blames Abbas for unity talks collapse

The ruling Hamas movement accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of dodging efforts to create a national unity government, which is billed as a means to end an ever deepening political crisis.

"President Abu Mazen [Mr Abbas] and certain circles in Fatah are responsible for the refusal to form a unity government on the basis of the national reconciliation document and are imposing new conditions corresponding to American and international conditions rejected by the nation," it announced.

The Islamist movement charges that Mr Abbas is exerting "immoral pressure" to foster the collapse of the current Hamas-controlled government and replace it with a cabinet tailor-made to meet demands imposed from abroad.

Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is determined to bolster the moderate Mr Abbas, closed ranks with the President on Wednesday in calling for any new government to respect the peace principles set out by the world powers.

Hamas has stubbornly refused immense pressure from the West and Mr Abbas for an eventual unity government to accept a political program that amounts to recognition of Israel and past Israeli-Palestinian agreements.

The Islamists did accept such a platform on September 11, based on a reconciliation document approved in June.

However, Hamas leaders subsequently contested any suggestion that the text amounted to recognition of Israel.

The President on Wednesday offered Hamas another two weeks to accept a moderate political platform, saying that there was no longer any dialogue and efforts needed to start again from the beginning.

Mr Abbas said without an agreement "the Palestinian leadership will decide on the measures to take to get us out of this crisis".

Asked about possibly holding early elections, he said: "All possibilities are conceivable, except civil war, which we must avoid at all costs".

Under Palestinian basic law, the President can declare a state of emergency and appoint an emergency government.

After 28 days, however, the Cabinet would need approval from Parliament, which is currently dominated by Hamas.

- AFP