The Palestinian Authority has reacted favorably to the U.S.'s so-called benchmarks plan offering an eight-month timetable for steps to bolster prospects for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a Palestinian official told Haaretz. The PLO Executive Committee had discussed the plan yesterday in Ramallah.

The committee, however, issued an announcement blaming Israel for obstructing the peace process as well as violating the ceasefire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

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In addition, PLO rival Hamas declared it was rejecting the benchmarks proposal, whose existence was first reported by Haaretz.

Fauzi Barhum, the organization's Gaza spokesman, warned that Hamas would do everything in its power to thwart the implementation of the plan.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal also rejected the American proposal for a detailed timeline to ease Palestinian movement and improve Israeli security. Instead, he threatened new violence against Israel.

Meshal alleged that Israel is planning a military operation against the Palestinians. "We in Hamas are also preparing ourselves for battle, and we expect hot months," he said. He urged all Palestinian groups to seriously prepare themselves for battle.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Meshal cited his resistance by calling the plan "a farce." He called on Palestinians to continue launching rockets toward Israel, and told them to refuse Israel's offer to allow free movement within the territories in exchange for a ceasefire.

Another militant organization, the Popular Resistance Committees, demonstrated a similar approach by saying its operatives will do everything to keep the plan from being implemented. The Prime Minister's Bureau is expected to formulate its stand on the proposal this week. Deputy U.S. State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Friday the United States would not impose on either side the demands listed in the document, or impose deadlines for their implementation. "These are suggestions and ideas that we have circulated. It's not any kind of formal agreement nor is it something that is being enforced on anybody," he told reporters. Casey added that the measures would contribute to implementing the first phase of the "road map" peace plan for the region.