A Fatah official said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's movement wants Egypt to amend the proposal of forming a national committee to liaise between the West Bank government and rival Hamas' administration in the Gaza Strip by giving Abbas more influence in the Gaza Strip.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Fatah can deal with the Egyptian offer, but wants more authority and influence in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

The Egyptian proposal was made to push the two political rivals into reconciliation after they failed to agree on a political platform of a unity government which they agreed on during a Cairo-hosted dialogue recently.

A new session of the dialogue is scheduled to resume on April 26, but the Fatah official said it is still unclear if his movement was going to reach an agreement with Hamas in the coming round of discussions.

On Monday, Hamas proposed the formation of "a government of tasks" that would only accomplish specific missions away from politics.

Fatah emphasizes that the upcoming government must abide by international conditions and relevant peace deals but Hamas translates this as a recognition of Israel and thus rejects it.

(Xinhua News Agency April 21, 2009)