Shunned by Egypt, Hamas reaches out to frenemy Abbas

GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas, its Gaza Strip stronghold cut off by the new military-backed government in Egypt, called upon rival Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday to end their six-year schism and form a unity government.

Egypt brokered a Palestinian reconciliation deal in 2011 but it was never implemented. In Cairo, meanwhile, Islamist President Mohamed Mursi was toppled by the army, which treats Egypt's Hamas neighbors as security threats.

"Our conditions do not allow for keeping up differences," Ismail Haniyeh, prime minister in the Gaza administration, said in a speech calling on Abbas and Fatah to renew dialogue with Hamas, schedule new elections and enter a temporary power-share.

"Let's have one government, one parliament and one president," Haniyeh said.

The overture was received coolly by Fatah, whose leader, Abbas, is engaged in a new round of U.S.-sponsored peace talks with Israel. Hamas refuses coexistence with the Jewish state.

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