Gaza: Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya on Sunday rejected President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to hold early presidential and legislative elections in Palestine.
"Holding early elections is unconstitutional and would lead to widespread popular confusion in the Palestinian area," Haniya said during a cabinet meeting.
Haniya also slammed a Saturday speech by Abbas in Ramallah, describing it as a "provocative" address "that ridiculed the Palestinian resistance".
"The Palestinian government is determined to maintain law and order to protect citizens and achieve security," Haniya said.
The Islamic Hamas movement has headed the Palestinian government since March after winning elections in January.
It is, however, the subject of an international diplomatic and financial boycott over its refusal to recognise Israel and renounce violence, a contributory factor to current tensions between the movement and Abbas' Fatah party.
Abbas had on Saturday called for early presidential and parliamentary elections after protracted negotiations between Hamas and Fatah failed to form a national unity government. The president said the Palestinian people must decide their fate.
Clashes between Fatah and Hamas continued during the day in Gaza, leaving a 19-year-old woman student dead and at least 16 people injured, including a French journalist.
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