Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction ruled out talks with Hamas today, while Israel said any such dialogue with the Islamists could "torpedo" a peace deal with the Jewish state.
Palestinian sources familiar with the matter said members of Hamas and Fatah had discussed holding peace talks, but Fatah leaders said they had not backed any meeting and rejected dialogue with Hamas unless it cedes control of the Gaza Strip, which it seized in fighting with Abbas's forces in June.
"What happened in Gaza was a military coup against legitimacy and against democracy," said Abdallah Franji, who is close to Mr Abbas and a member of Fatah's central committee. "If they retreat then we can talk. Now we cannot."
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| Israeli soldiers in the West Bank village of Qabatiya this week Photo: Reuters |
Mr Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian government in June after the violence in Gaza. This led to an easing of US and Israeli sanctions and plans for a peace conference next month.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops killed a militant from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement in the West Bank today, Palestinian officials said.
A Palestinian official said the man was killed by undercover Israeli forces operating near the West Bank city of Jenin.
He said the man had been a member of the Palestinian national security force but recently joined the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and was wanted by Israel.
Israeli forces frequently raid West Bank towns in search of militants suspected of involvement in attacks against Israelis.