'Hamas refuses long-term cease-fire'

Hamas refuses to support a long-term cease-fire, but will endorse a calm of a few months, Hamas spokesman Mohammad Nazal said Tuesday.

"The Hamas organization believes it is not possible to declare a full cease-fire at this stage of talks," Nazal said prior to a meeting in Cairo between Palestinian faction leaders and Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

While the leaders are expected to discuss a cease-fire, there are mixed opinions regarding a timeframe for the agreement.

The Authority and Egyptian officials are pushing for a long-term plan, while faction leaders are discussing a more limited timeframe, one that would call for an evaluation following Israel's implementation of further steps in the peace process with the Authority.

Among the participants scheduled to meet are Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ramadan Shalah, Hamas leader Khaled Mashal and Secretary-General Naif Hawatmeh, representative of Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).

Meanwhile, AP reported Tuesday Hamas has decided not to join the Palestinian government following parliament elections in July, as it does not support the Authority's policies.

According to the report, Hamas's growing political influence has raised concerns that the group may sabotage Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, even if it stops violence.