Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations    

    RAMALLAH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Hamas made pretexts to shun being involved in inter-Palestinian dialogue to keep its rule in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday.

    "Hamas wants a dark emirate in the Gaza Strip and it creates the reasons to escape from the national dialogue," Abbas said in an interview with al-Watan al-Arabi magazine.

    "They want an Islamic emirate in Gaza and, frankly, they are not interested in any national solution," he added.

    "I'm with the national dialogue because I want my people to relax, and I want my people in Gaza to get rid of their siege... I called for lull and for opening of the crossings and I know that Hamas takes advantage from this," Abbas continued.

    Hamas drove out of Gaza Fatah-dominated security forces loyal to Abbas and seized control of the coastal strip last year. In response Abbas fired a coalition with Hamas and set up a Western-backed government based in Ramallah.

    The deposed Hamas unity government rejected Abbas' moves and continues to rule Gaza, effectively separating it from the West Bank.

    Two months ago, Abbas said he was ready to talk with Hamas, but the Islamic movement did not take any steps to ease the situation, although it welcomed Abbas' initiative.

    Meanwhile, Abbas rejected Hamas' accusations that his forces were cracking down against the Islamic movement's supporters in the West Bank.

    "There are no any arrests against Hamas in West Bank... we are enforcing law and order there where we have one authority and no one is over the law," he said.

    But in Gaza, "Hamas arrested tens of people and destroyed hundreds of houses and offices," according to Abbas, who was referring to a crackdown Hamas launched against Fatah last month following a beachside blast which killed five Hamas members.