Palestinian groups in exile in Syria Saturday rejected a call by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for early elections, saying the move lacked real reasons and was illegal.

Leaders of ten exiled Palestinian groups, including politburo chief of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Khaled Meshaal, made the remarks in a statement at a press conference.

They called for an appeasement of the internal situations in the Palestinian territories, calling on the militants in the street to withdraw and media to stop the campaigns against each other.

"Fighting among brothers is a big mistake and should not be allowed," they said, noting that the most urgent national task was to relieve the unjust blockade against the Palestinians.

They also called for the formation of a national unity government and a continuation of dialogue between different ranks.

Earlier in the day, Abbas called for early preliminary and presidential elections in spite of great opposition from the ruling Hamas movement.

The president did not set a date for holding the elections, but said he had discussed with the committee of elections how to hold polls as soon as possible.

Earlier, Abbas has signaled the possibility of sacking the Hamas-led government.

As talks to form a national unity government collapsed, Abbas held the Hamas movement responsible for the failure, which dashed Palestinian hopes that an end to Western sanctions on the current Hamas administration could be in sight.

Source: Xinhua