Member of Hamas Political Bureau Mosa Abu Marzouq deplored a statement by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he extends his hand for negotiations with the Israeli occupation.

“We need this call at the national level,” Abu Marzouq said in a tweet on Thursday.

“We have agreed on meeting the Palestinian Liberation Organisation committee since March 2005, ignoring all obstacles in the path of national unity in order to confront the dangers posed to our national cause."

Abu Marzouq doubted whether the PA President would make a similar call for national unity with his own people.

Abbas announced late Tuesday that he is willing to collaborate with any Israeli government “believing in peace on the basis of international resolutions,” adding “our hands are always extended for negotiations” with the Israeli occupation. 

Since April 2014, the Palestinian-Israeli talks have stopped because of the ongoing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.