Hamas spokesman in Gaza Abdel Aziz Ranteesi said that his group will not stop suicide bombing attacks in Israel.

The announcements came amid an Egyptian mediation effort to sign a document that calls upon the armed Palestinian group to end suicide bombing attacks that targeted civilians in Israel for one year.

"Hamas officially informed Egypt of its final answer: our position is against ending the resistance and abiding by a one-year truce," Ranteesi said, stressing that "operations inside Israel would continue."

Fatah movement chaired by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat slashed the Hamas movement, saying that Ranteesi's statements would block the Arab and European efforts that go in harmony with the interests of the Palestinian people.

Fatah said that Hamas would be responsible for all the "negative side effects" that would be resulted after its announcement that it does not accept the Egyptian document.

Fatah movement and Arafat had welcomed the Egyptian document and said that they accept it after they looked at its details. The document was also presented to other Palestinian groups including Hamas.

Mahmoud Azzahar, a senior Hamas leader form Gaza, said that Hamas informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) that Hamas is willing to accept the Egyptian paper, "but on conditions."

"Ending the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territories, stopping Zionist crimes against the Palestinians and finding a mechanism to implement these conditions are our demands to accept the document," said Azzahar.

Palestinian sources said that another round of dialogue among all the different Palestinian factions and groups would be held soon in Cairo under an Egyptian and European sponsorship.

The sources said that by the end of this round of dialogue, it is expected that all the Palestinian groups would announce their stand towards the Egyptian document that calls for stopping suicide bombing attacks against Israel.

Isma'eel Haneya, another senior Hamas leader, said that Hamas stand is clear "which is to continue struggle and resistance as long as there is an Israeli military occupation on the occupied Palestinian territories."

He said that his movement's strategy is to continue at the same time with resistance and dialogue as well, adding that Hamas strategy "is based on those two principles."

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2003)