Hamas and Fatah traded accusations yesterday over the ongoing crisis in talks on a unity government.

An advisor to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Nabil Amru, accused Hamas leaders of trying to fundamentally change a critical Arab peace initiative in order to cause it to fail, while Hamas Information Minister Youssef Rezqa told reporters that associates of Abbas "were conducting media wars" against Hamas to cause it "to lose its principles."

Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani met twice each with Abbas and PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza on Monday.

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The meetings went on until 3 A.M. yesterday, but no breakthrough was achieved.

"They are buying time, and time is of the essence for us," Amru said, adding that Abbas is now looking into replacing the Hamas cabinet with technocrats or holding new elections.

Hamas balks at deal

Hamas refuses to accept any agreement with Fatah that implies any recognition whatsoever of Israel, such as by calling for establishing a future Palestinian state alongside Israel. PA cabinet spokesman Razi Hamad said that the government would accept a call for establishing a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, but without reference to Israel.

"Why should we give this to Israel for free as long as the occupation continues?" Hamad said. "[Israel] does not even recognize the 1967 lines."

Al-Thani's visit to Gaza came after two visits to Damascus, the first last Thursday and the second a few hours before his arrival in Gaza on Sunday.

"I cannot say that the gap has narrowed, but there are other aspects that should be welcomed now on this matter," he told reporters yesterday. "The goal is not only a Palestinian government, but a recognized Palestinian government that will work to lift the embargo placed on it."

Palestinian officials said yesterday that they believed the Qatari foreign minister had tried to ascertain whether there were differences between the positions of Hamas in Gaza and those of Hamas in Syria. Apparently, however, he found none.

Talks go on

Both sides agreed yesterday that though no deal had been reached that would allow the establishment of a unity government, talks were continuing. Hamad said that the Qatari minister would continue his talks with Hamas officials overseas, adding that he was fully aware of America's conditions for lifting the boycott. Abbas yesterday updated several Arab leaders on the talks, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Egyptian efforts to arbitrate between Fatah and Hamas have tapered off. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit was harshly critical of Hamas in an interview yesterday with the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram. "The Palestinian prime minister rejects this initiative; so why doesn't he search for another one?" Aboul Gheit said, according to the paper.

"Those leaders, and the Palestinian people, will find out that they are losing a chance," he added, calling the situation "shameful for any Arab and any Palestinian."