Abbas tells his Fatah movement the alternative to coalition with Hamas is chaos: report

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told leaders of his Fatah movement that a collapse of Fatah's shaky coalition with Hamas will lead to more chaos, a newspaper reported Saturday.

Photo: Abbas tells his Fatah movement the alternative to coalition with Hamas is chaos: report

The Hamas-Fatah government, formed in March, is threatened by the renewed flareup of tensions and violence between Hamas and Fatah gunmen in Gaza.

In a speech to Fatah leaders late Friday, Abbas warned that "the alternative to the national unity government is chaos and loss," according to the Al Ayyam daily.

Abbas said Fatah must act responsibly. "Fatah will not be the trigger to ignite the fire," he was quoted as saying. "On the contrary, it will work to extinguish the fire."

However, both Hamas and Fatah have been involved in provocations, including shooting ambushes and kidnappings of rival gunmen, as part of a bitter power struggle.