Hamas urges Arab, Muslim unity against annexation

The head of the political bureau of Hamas on Thursday urged Arab and Muslim countries to support the Palestinian people in the face of impending Israel plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank.

"I call upon our Arab and Muslim nations to support the Palestinian unified position in this national struggle and to support the steadfastness of our people and their heroic resistance," Ismail Haniyeh, chief of the organization, said in a statement.

Haniyeh called upon Palestinian groups to enhance cooperation in all fields and engage in complete confrontation against Israel's occupation.

He hailed the joint-conference between Hamas and Fateh on Thursday, in which the sides agreed to unify efforts against annexation.

"It is an advanced step [the joint conference] towards achieving unity of position and effort to confront the enemy and its plans," Haniyeh said.

Hamas and Fatah have remained at odds since the former seized the control of Gaza Strip in mid-2007 after several days of street fighting.

The annexation was scheduled to be declared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.

However, uncertainty surrounds Netanyahu's position in light of widespread international rejection of the plan along with differences with the US administration on its application.

* Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara