Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has frozen talks on forming a unity government after Hamas said it would not accept interim peace deals with Israel, two of his aides said today.
Hamas said it was not aware negotiations had been frozen and said while there were some differences of opinion, formation of the unity coalition was "irreversible".
The row threatens to unravel Palestinian efforts to end international isolation and restore direct Western aid that was cut when the militant Hamas movement took office in March.
Ahmad Abdel-Rahman, one Abbas aide, said negotiations would be frozen until the president returned from a trip to New York later this week, where he will attend a UN meeting.
"The president has frozen measures to form a unity government after the conflicting statements issued by Hamas and its leaders, which have prompted unfavorable international reactions," he said.
Abbas aides blamed comments by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas in particular for the tensions.
Abbas aide Ahmad Abdel-Rahman
Yesterday, Mr Haniyeh insisted a document penned by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails that serves as the basis for the unity guidelines "does not recognize the occupation" - Hamas's term for Israel - nor accepts existing peace deals.
Mr Haniyeh had said, without elaborating, that the two issues "will be dealt with in the way that serves the higher interests of the Palestinian people".
The unity coalition deal states the new government would "honour" past peace agreements, Abbas aides have said.
"At the time the president is trying to market the unity government program to international envoys, Haniyeh and Hamas officials announce they are not committed to (past peace) agreements and have retracted on the agreement reached with President Abbas," Mr Abdel-Rahman said.
Mr Abbas and Mr Haniyeh reached a deal on forming a unity government last Monday. Palestinian officials had suggested it could be formed within weeks.