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| Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a news conference in Gaza Feb. 19. (Reuters) |
RAMALLAH, Feb. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Newly-elected Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Aziz Dweik, who is from the majority faction the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), denied on Sunday that there were disputes between Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Dweik made the denial after a meeting with Abbas, which was also attended by deputy parliament speaker Hassan Khreisha, an independent backed by Hamas, and the parliament secretary Mahmoud al-Ramahi, who is also from Hamas.
Terming the meeting as "very important and positive", Dweik said, "There has been a great understanding between us and President Abbas."
Dweik said that he had explained to Abbas how Hamas would deal with social and political issues, especially the international pressure on the PNA following the group's election victory.
The speaker also stressed that Hamas would continue cooperation with Abbas.
In addition, Dweik defended the right of resistance against the Israeli occupation.
It was the first meeting between Abbas and Dweik since the latter was elected parliament speak at the legislature's inauguration session on Saturday.
In a keynote speech before the newly-elected Hamas-dominated parliament, Abbas urged Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, to respect previous agreements inked by the PNA and Israel and resort to negotiations toward peace.
But Hamas defiantly rejected Abbas' calls, saying it would not hold talks with Israel so long as the Jewish state continued occupying Palestinian land.
Meanwhile, Gaza-based Hamas leader Ismail Haneya, who has been formally nominated for premiership, said that Hamas would solve disputes with Abbas only through dialogue and coordination. Hamas is expected to form a new cabinet in the coming weeks. Enditem
Hamas to solve disputes through dialogue: PM nominee
GAZA, Feb. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Ismail Haneya, who has been nominated for Palestinian premiership, said on Sunday that Hamas would solve disputes with President Mahmoud Abbas only through dialogue and coordination.
Haneya, who is a prominent Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip and headed the Hamas list in the Jan. 25 legislative polls, made the statement one day after Abbas urged a future Hamas-led government to respect previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements and resort to negotiations with Israel toward peace.
Hamas quickly rejected Abbas' calls, made at the inauguration session of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) on Saturday, which paves the way for the formation of a Hamas-led new cabinet.
"We had agreed with him (Abbas) in the past and we are willing to agree with him at present and in the future," Haneya told reporters at his residence in Gaza.
"We will reinforce our steadfastness together," he added.
On Israel's decision to impose sanctions on the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Haneya stressed that Hamas' ballot victory was achieved through democratic elections.
"The sanction measures will not have a major impact on us since Hamas has already get used to them," he said.
Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli cabinet approved a set of measures against the PNA including a halt of monthly transfer of tax payment Israel collects on behalf of the PNA.
Haneya also told reporters that Hamas was poised for talks with other Palestinian factions over the formation of a new government.
"Hamas has established a negotiation team headed by senior leader Mahmoud al-Zahar for talks with other Palestinian factions on forming the new cabinet," he said.
The team would start its first meeting with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine on Monday to invite the group to join the new cabinet, according to Haneya.
Defeating Abbas' long dominant Fatah movement in the January polls, Hamas has held 74 seats in the 132-member parliament.
The group, whose charter calls for Israel's destruction, is expected to form a new cabinet in the coming weeks, marking a new era on the Palestinian political stage. Enditem | 
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