Abbas dissolved the democratically elected Hamas-led Parliament after Hamas forces seized control of Gaza last week. Meanwhile, Hamas officials are denouncing Abbas for agreeing to a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Egypt.

Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum: “At this time, we are in Hamas against this type of meeting because the main issues or the main concern of the Arab and Islamic world is to end the occupation, to tell the world about the faults and terrorism from the situation which was committed against our Palestinians.”

Fatah says it sees Hamas as an occupation force in Gaza and will negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian government. Palestinian negotiator Yasser Abed Rabbo said Fatah will carry out talks on forming a Palestinian state.

Yasser Abed Rabbo: “We think the success of this summit will depend on the decision of the Israeli side to proceed with the political negotiations in order to reach an agreement on all issues related to the final status, so that we will be able to establish a Palestinian independent state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.”