Hadash Chairman MK Mohammad Barakeh implied Thursday that Hamas is not working for the good of the Palestinian people, but in fact for a regional agenda.

"The national mission at the present stage is to defend our people from regional and international agendas which are irrelevant to our national problem," Barakeh said at a Palestinian Liberation Organization convention, which discussed the current situation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Barakeh demanded Hamas clarify its position on the establishment of a Palestinian state, and where this features amongst their priorities. He said all Palestinian groups need to declare their positions on the subject, whether they are working in the Diaspora or in Israel or in the Palestinian Authority.

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The MK also said: "We [Israeli Arabs] see ourselves as an inseparable part of the Palestinian people even though we are not memebers of the PLO."

Barakeh called for the renewal of the peace process, for the establishment of a Palestinian state whose capital is Jerusalem, and for the realization of a Palestinian right of return - whereby refugees and their descendents could all immigrate to Israel.

He also called on the Palestinian public to oppose occupation while at the same time conducting negotiations: "General resistance is needed to sweep away the occupation and to implement [our] rights, but resistance without negotiations will not bring results."

Earlier on Wednesday, Arab MKs blasted Hamas' actions during their recent takeover of the Gaza strip.

"The Palestinian national issue has been set back dozens of years. These people embarrass Palestinian history," MK Ahmad Tibi (Ra`am-Ta`al) fumed.

Balad Chairman Jamal Zahalka said: "Crimes were committed in Gaza against the Palestinian nation, people were murdered ... I totally condemn what happened."