Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, yesterday gave the ruling Hamas movement an extra four days to accept a political platform that implicitly recognises Israel or face a national referendum on the issue.
The extension came after a midnight Monday deadline set by Mr Abbas expired without agreement on resolving an increasingly tense power struggle between the Fatah president and his Hamas-led government.
Mr Abbas spoke by telephone for more than an hour to Ismail Haniya, Hamas's Gaza-based prime minister, but failed to break the deadlock. A statement from the presidency said Mr Abbas agreed to an extension due to mediation by Arab and Islamic leaders. |