RAMALLAH, West Bank – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Wednesday for early elections that could freeze Hamas out of the political arena, deepening animosities with the Islamist militant group after its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.

Abbas told the Palestine Central Council, a top decision-making body, that he wanted it to issue a declaration of early elections at an unspecified date. He said he would call for the elimination of regional balloting, which cost Fatah a number of seats in the 2006 vote for parliament. Rival Fatah candidates split their vote in many regions and Hamas handily won the election.

In the new election, Palestinians will vote for parties that will divide parliament in proportion to the votes received, Abbas said. The system would likely lead to Fatah control over the government.

“We will call on the council to decide on early elections … We want elections because a democratic choice is the right for all the people,” Abbas said. “We won’t exclude anybody from having their say in a democratic way.”

Abbas’ aides said they expected the election by the end of the year or early 2008.

Abbas repeated his charge that Hamas carried out a coup against him in Gaza.

“Nothing can justify the crime of the coup they committed,” he said. “Even the devil cannot match their lies.”

Hamas is “committing capital crimes, bloody crimes against our people every day, every minute, every hour,” he said. “There will be no dialogue until they return Gaza to what it was before.”

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri in Gaza said the Palestine Central Council had no authority to call elections.

“It is not legitimate to issue such a recommendation,” he said. “This council has … no mandate and no authority.”

Abbas also said the PLO would take over from the paralyzed Palestinian legislature. Israel is holding dozens of Hamas lawmakers in prison, and Hamas has boycotted parliament sessions to endorse Abbas’ new Cabinet, assembled after Hamas took over Gaza and the Hamas-Fatah coalition government came apart.

Under current conditions, it would be impossible to have a vote in Gaza, which would risk new violence with Hamas. Many Hamas militants in the West Bank have gone into hiding, but the group has threatened to activate its militants if Abbas pushes them too hard.

“The previous election passed quietly, peacefully, smoothly without a drop of blood. I don’t expect the coming election to be quiet without confrontation,” Said Siyam, a prominent Hamas lawmaker in Gaza, told the Al-Aqsa television station.

Since taking control of Gaza, the area’s Hamas rulers have been plunged into deep international isolation, while Abbas’ West Bank government has received support from Israel and the West.

At an earlier press conference with Abbas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, voiced his support for the Palestinian leader.

“Some initiatives are going to be taken in the coming days that may lead to the dream of all of us, especially if the Palestinians start a political process,” Solana said.

Solana’s visit came amid a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at bolstering Abbas. On Thursday, members of the Quartet of Mideast mediators _ the U.S., EU, United Nations and Russia _ are meeting in Portugal to discuss the Mideast.

French diplomats signed a deal giving $20.7 million in direct aid to the Palestinians. Abbas said that Europe has restored foreign aid to his government, but he is still waiting for the $180 million pledged by the United States.

President Bush has called for an international conference about Mideast peace this year. Abbas said he told both Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that core issues must be negotiated now. That would include borders of a Palestinian state and solutions for the issues of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees.

Abbas said he would restate the Palestinian demand for an independent state at the conference.

Israel has welcomed the idea of a conference but maintains that core issues cannot be discussed as long as Palestinian violence against Israel continues.

Olmert has taken a series of steps to boost Abbas, including plans to release 256 Palestinian prisoners Friday as a goodwill gesture.

A group representing Israeli victims of Palestinian violence asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to delay the planned release. The Almagor group said more time is needed to review the files of the prisoners.

Israeli Cabinet ministers have approved the list of Palestinian prisoners. Most of the 256 to be freed Friday are members of Abbas’ Fatah movement. None are from Hamas. Still, officials in Abbas’ government have said the Israeli release is insufficient.

In his speech, Abbas blamed Hamas for the plight of thousands of Palestinians who are stranded at the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. He said his Palestinian authority reached an agreement with Israel to run the crossing with European observers, but when Hamas overran the crossing, the observers left and the crossing remains closed.

He said Hamas is preventing the stranded people from using an alternate route _ a crossing where the borders of Israel, Egypt and Gaza meet _ by firing rockets and forcing that crossing to remain closed as well.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)