RAMALLAH, April 28 (Xinhua) -- An official of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party on Sunday called on Islamic Hamas movement to allow the "formation of a Palestinian national front" to face the U.S. "Deal of the Century."
Jibril al-Rajoub, secretary general of Fatah's central committee, said in an emailed press statement that what is required of Hamas "is not an emotional speech, but practical steps to pave the way for the formation of a national front."
He added that Hamas should take the next move towards ending the division of its power in the Gaza Strip and allowing the Palestinian government to operate in Gaza.
The Palestinians have boycotted the U.S. administration since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem last May.
They criticized that the U.S. "Deal of the Century" falls way short of their expectations and aspirations for lasting and just peace settlement and called for an international multilateral peace mechanism to overlook peace negotiations.
Al-Rajoub's remarks came a day after Ismail Haneya, Hamas politburo chief, called for a national strategic vision to face the U.S. deal.
Haneya told Palestinian factions that "the vision should be first and foremost based on retrieving the national unity in order to face the current dangers that the Palestinian cause is going through."
Haneya added that he is willing to hold meetings immediately with all factions, especially Fatah movement in Gaza or Cairo.
The Palestinians have been divided since 2007 when Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip while the West Bank remained under the rule of Abbas's Fatah party.
The Israeli blockade and the internal Palestinian division between Hamas and Fatah have been negatively influencing all aspects of life, mainly in the Gaza Strip.
