Hamas reject Palestian President’s call for early elections

Abbas's Palestinian Authority said the spirit of change in Egypt should inspire Palestinians to unite. "The Palestinian leadership decided to hold presidential and legislative elections before September," a senior Abbas told reporters.

"It urges all the sides to put their differences aside," he said, referring to a bitter rivalry between Abbas's West Bank-based government and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

But a quick solution to the Palestinian divide seemed unlikely and Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that Abbas lacks the legitimacy to make such a call.

"Hamas will not take part in this election. We will not give it legitimacy. And we will not recognise the results," Barhoum said.

Hamas won the last parliamentary election in 2006 and a year later routed Abbas's forces to seize control of the Gaza Strip. Hamas's opposition to Abbas's peace moves with Israelis one of the issues keeping the factions apart.