Abbas wants Palestinian elections in April

By Wafa Amr

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas plans to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in April despite opposition from Hamas rivals who run the Gaza Strip, a senior aide said on Tuesday.

"The call for elections will be early January," said Yasser Abed Rabbo. "The elections will be held three months after."

Hamas, which seized the Gaza Strip last year after routing Fatah forces loyal to Abbas, opposes holding a parliamentary election in 2009. It could lose support owing to worsening economic conditions in the Israeli-blockaded enclave.

Speaking to reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas said: "They (Hamas) have to understand that at the end of the day there will be elections."

But the Islamist group insists Abbas's term must end on Jan. 9 and has said that it will not recognize his legitimacy after that date. Abbas says his terms ends in 2010.

Abed Rabbo said Abbas's call for elections was designed to pre-empt attempts by Hamas to delegitimize Abbas and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which he heads.

He said the call also amounted to a "deadline" for Hamas to resume Arab-sponsored unity talks with Fatah.

Speaking in Washington, Israel's caretaker prime minister, Ehud Olmert, said Abbas "is the leader of the Palestinian people."