Palestinian PM Rejects Referendum Call

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Islamic group Hamas, speaks in a meeting in the finance ministry in Gaza City, Sunday, June 4, 2006. With a deadline approaching, the Islamic group Hamas on Sunday showed no signs of giving in to an ultimatum from President Mahmoud Abbas to accept a plan that implicitly recognizes Israel. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra) (Khalil Hamra - AP)

Abbas, elected separately last year, has been trying to curb the Hamas government's powers _ and in particular has tried to maintain control over Fatah-dominated security forces.

Abbas has been pushing Hamas to accept a plan calling for a Palestinian state next to Israel. The plan was drawn up by senior Hamas and Fatah prisoners held by Israel. Prisoners hold great weight in Palestinian society.

Abbas believes that if Hamas accepts the so-called prisoners' agreement, it will open the way for the West to resume vital aid payments to the Palestinians and allow him to restart peace talks with Israel.

Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, says peace talks are virtually impossible as long as Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction. Olmert was headed to the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik on Sunday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who often acts as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians.

Azam al-Ahmad, a Fatah official participating in the negotiations, said Abbas is committed to the deadline.

"Abu Mazen will resort to a referendum by Tuesday morning if he does not receive anything positive from Hamas on the prisoners' document," he said. Abbas is widely known as Abu Mazen.

A poll released last week showed that nearly 90 percent of Palestinians favor the plan.

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AP reporter Mohammed Daraghmeh contributed to this story from Ramallah, West Bank.