Hamas says it won't be forced to accept Abbas plan

DAMASCUS, May 26 (Reuters) Hamas will not be ''blackmailed'' into accepting President Mahmoud Abbas's proposal for Palestinian statehood that implicitly recognises Israel, a member of the movement's exiled leadership said today.

Mohammad Nazzal did not reject the proposal outright, but he criticised Abbas for threatening to put it to a referendum if it was not agreed by Palestinian factions within 10 days.

''We see this referendum as a tool of pressure on Hamas,'' Nazzal told Reuters in Damascus.

Yesterday, Abbas gave leaders of Hamas and his own Fatah movement 10 days to accept a proposal agreeing to a peace settlement if Israel withdraws from all of the West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem, occupied since the 1967 West Asia War.

The proposal was drawn up in an Israeli jail by senior prisoners from factions including Hamas and Fatah.

''Although this is a document drawn up by prisoners for whom we have high respect, it cannot be used as a way to blackmail Hamas,'' Nazzal said.

''The initiative contains positive as well as what we see as negative points. The natural course is for these points to be discussed in a dialogue to come up with a common position.'' Nazzal said his comments reflected the standpoint of all elements of Hamas, including leaders inside the Palestinian territories, the exiled leadership, and the military wing.

He also questioned Abbas's constitutional right to call a referendum and said the president's plan raised the question of whether Palestinians outside the territories could vote.

''Although no one can be against a referendum because it will shows the will of the people, Mr Abbas did not propose this referendum as a salvation for Hamas, but to impose his own political agenda.,'' Nazzal said.

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