RAMALLAH, Aug 15: Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas issued a decree on Wednesday that effectively excludes the rival Hamas movement ruling Gaza from future elections, further widening the gaping divide.

The Islamists immediately slammed the move as illegal and said an election cannot take place without the participation of their movement, which had swept to power after the last legislative poll a year-and-a-half ago.

Mr Abbas’s decree makes several changes to electoral law, including requiring candidates in presidential and legislative elections “to respect the political programme of the PLO”, according to the text. It also requires candidates to respect all previous agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority.

The Western-shunned Hamas does not respect the political programme of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which recognises Israel, as the Islamists' charter calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.

Mr Abbas’s decree also says that all parliament candidates will be chosen according to party lists. Previously, half of those standing for the legislature were chosen in single constituencies.

The requirement makes it easier for candidates from Mr Abbas’s Fatah party to run in the Gaza Strip, which has been under control of the Islamists since Hamas fighters overran forces loyal to the moderate president in mid-June. Following the bloody takeover, Mr Abbas fired the Hamas-led unity cabinet, appointed one headed by the West-backed economist, Salam Fayyad, and has refused talks with the Islamists. He has also vowed to call early general election.

On Wednesday, he repeated his demand for “Hamas to correct their mistakes and change their positions to reunite the Palestinian people and give them hope for the future.”

Mr Abbas insisted on the “unity of the Palestinian territories, as this division cannot be but temporary. The Palestinian people reject this division and want a unified state.”

But Hamas quickly lashed out at Mr Abbas, saying the changes to the electoral law were illegal.

“The Palestinian president has no right to make changes to Palestinian law as only parliament can do so,” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

“We are not concerned by this move as it goes against the law,” he said.

“There is no chance that elections can be successful if Hamas rejects them. What we must do first is return to dialogue and national agreement.”

In the wake of the Gaza takeover, Mr Abbas has issued decrees that he says have the power of law, although this is disputed by Hamas.

The Gaza rout has left Palestinians deeply divided, with the moderate Abbas controlling the West Bank and the Islamists ruling Gaza.

Hamas has refused to recognise the Fayyad government and insists that the coalition cabinet headed by the sacked Hamas premier Ismail Haniya is the Palestinians’ sole legitimate government.

Hamas swept to victory in the last election last year in a surprise rout of the long-dominant Fatah party.

Tensions steadily rose between the two rival factions in the ensuing year, stoked by disagreements over control of security forces and disagreements over how to handle an international direct aid freeze imposed after the Islamists -- considered a terror group in the West -- formed their first cabinet.

A unity government brokered with the help of Saudi Arabia with the aim of putting a lid on the tensions failed to hold, and vicious gunbattles between the two parties erupted on Gaza streets in early June.

After a week of fighting that killed more than 100 people, Hamas was left in control of the impoverished territory, one of the most densely populated areas on the planet.—AFP