"Achieving national reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah is essential for the negotiations both on the Palestinians track and the Palestinian-Israeli track," according to Shalaby.

However, there are reports that the United States covertly worked to oust Hamas after it won 2006 parliamentary elections, breaking the decades-long hold on power of Abbas' Fatah movement.

In June last year, Hamas fought and routed pro-Abbas security forces in Gaza Strip and seized control of the impoverished territory, separating it from the West Bank where Abbas formed a Western-backed government.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) and visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attend a press conference in Ramallah, March 4, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

(Xinhua News Agency March 5, 2008)