Palestinian leftist factions on Tuesday said it is hard to reach a national agreement if Hamas and Fatah kept pursuing talks bilaterally.

In a statement sent to the media, the leftist parties said that Islamic Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party have to expand the Cairo-hosted national dialogue to include all the political groups.

"The experience of bilateral talks and governing resulted from Mecca accord have led to the current internal split and crisis," said Rabah Muhana, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), referring to a Saudi-brokered power-sharing pact between Hamas and Fatah that lasted only for three months in 2007.

The Mecca agreement has collapsed when Hamas and Fatah fought each other in the Gaza Strip, ending with Hamas routing pro-Abbas forces and taking control of the coastal enclave.

When Egypt started its mediation to reconcile Hamas and Fatah, all Palestinian factions had participated in the dialogue sessions which started in March. Later, the talks became exclusive to Hamas and Fatah only.

"When all the factions participated, the dialogue has made some progress," Muhana said, adding that the frequent postponement of the dialogue "is expected since Hamas and Fatah are talking alone."

Earlier, Egypt had set July 25 as the date to declare the national Palestinian agreement but the failure of Hamas and Fatah to bridge their gaps has forced Egypt to delay the agreement for another one month.

The differences between Hamas and Fatah involve the political platform of the unity government they seek to form, the reforming of the security services in Gaza and in the Fatah-ruled West Bank and holding elections.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2009)