Hamas: Abbas' election call serves US, Israel

Hamas protests against the Palestinian Authority's decision to hold presidential and legislative elections in January, calling the move 'destructive to unity' and in favor of enemy.

Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, on Saturday branded a decree by acting Palestinian chief, Mahmud Abbas, which calls for January 24 elections across the Palestinian territories and Gaza Strip as "illegal and unconstitutional".

Radwan added that the call for a unilateral election before reaching a unity deal only serves American demands and worsens divisions among Palestinian factions.

"This step is actually serving American demands, the external agendas as well as the Zionist enemy. This declaration is devoting the Palestinian split," the Hamas official noted, adding that "Mahmoud Abbas' tenure is over and he has no right to issue any decree concerning this election".

Hamas has repeatedly said that the vote must be held only after reconciliation is achieved. There are also reports suggesting that the Islamic movement could hold its own ballot in Gaza.

Fatah (which rules the West Bank), and Hamas have been divided since 2007 when Hamas -- the democratically-elected Palestinian government-- took control of the Gaza Strip.

The decree is viewed to be aimed at rushing Hamas into signing a Cairo-brokered unity deal with the Fatah faction of Abbas, whose presidential term expired in early 2009.