Mustafa al-Barghouti, head of " Independent Palestine" party in the Palestinian legislature, said on Saturday that his group would not join the new government to be announced shortly by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Al-Barghouti said at a press conference held in the West Bank city of Ramallah that his party would not join the upcoming Hamas- led cabinet, but would support the government in every positive action that benefited the Palestinian people's interests.

"Independent Palestine will play a positive role in removing the disputes (in the parliament) and achieving national harmony," he said.

In addition, al-Barghouti urged the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), an umbrella which groups key Palestinian factions including the Fatah movement, to open its doors for Hamas in order to form a national unity leadership.

Scoring a landslide victory in the January Palestinian parliamentary elections, Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction, is expected to announce a new cabinet later in the day.

Source: Xinhua