Islamist group Hamas took over as the dominant party in the Palestinian parliament today and swiftly rejected President Mahmoud Abbas's call to pursue his peacemaking efforts with Israel.
The swearing-in of the parliament, elected last month, paves the way for Hamas to form a government that is on a potential collision course with Mr Abbas and faces a boycott by major powers unless it renounces violence and its vow to destroy Israel.
Israel is considering tougher restrictions on Palestinians as a way to pressure the government to be led by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, seen by Palestinians as a relative pragmatist.
In a speech at the opening of parliament, Mr Abbas said the new government must recognise past peace deals with Israel and commit itself to pursuing statehood through talks, but he stopped short of setting conditions for forming a cabinet.
"The presidency and the government will continue to respect our commitment to the negotiations as a strategic, pragmatic political choice," Mr Abbas said. "At the same time, we must continue to strengthen and develop forms of popular resistance of a peaceful nature."
His words won applause from Fatah lawmakers but not from Hamas members.
"We were elected on a different political agenda," said Mr Haniyeh as sessions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, joined by video link, broke off for Muslim prayers.
Hamas won control of the Palestinian Legislative Council in a January 25th parliamentary election, beating Mr Abbas's long-dominant Fatah which is widely accused of corruption and mismanagement. Hamas won 74 seats in the 132-member parliament.
Hamas boycotted the previous parliamentary election in 1996 because it rejected interim peace accords with Israel. It says those deals are now dead and it will not be bound by them.
Hamas officials have said the group will soon present an initiative to parliament including a proposal for a long-term truce with Israel if it withdraws from land captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians seek for a state. But the group has repeatedly said it will not rescind its call for Israel's destruction or recognise the Jewish state.
Israel's cabinet will consider tomorrow whether to impose tough new measures against the Hamas-led government, possibly banning labourers and goods from entering Israel from Gaza. Israeli officials said a decision would only be taken once Hamas assumes control of parliament and sets out its policies.
"Our intention is to make it clear that Israel will not be dealing with a terrorist organisation called Hamas," said Gideon Meir, a senior official of Israel's Foreign Ministry.
Mr Abbas said any new restrictions on the Palestinians would amount to "blackmail".
The United States, which has asked the Palestinian Authority to return $50 million in aid to prevent it from reaching Hamas, cautioned Israel against taking any measures that would make life difficult for the Palestinians. But Washington and its allies have urged nations to boycott Hamas, which has masterminded nearly 60 suicide attacks against Israel since a 2000 uprising, unless it disarms and recognises the Jewish state and past peace deals.