Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said last night he expects Hamas to hand in its weapons after Palestinian elections this summer but stopped short of threatening to disarm the Islamic militants by force.
A Hamas official dismissed the call, saying Mr Abbas should first disarm his own Fatah movement.
Mr Abbas has been under pressure from the United States and Israel to rein in armed groups, as called for in the internationally backed "road map" peace plan. Although he has repeatedly called on militants to halt their attacks on Israel, he has refused to take action against them, preferring instead to negotiate.
Hamas has said it will take part in legislative elections set for July 17th. It would be the first time the group has sought a place in the Palestinian parliament.
Mr Abbas welcomed Hamas' desire to join the political process, but said the group, which has carried out dozens of suicide bombings against Israelis, would be expected to give up its militant activities after the vote.
"When a movement or militia is transformed into a political party, I would say that there will then be no need for them to possess weapons," he told reporters. "There will be only one authority, one law, and one legal gun. The issue is very clear, and this has been common practice throughout history."
A Hamas spokesman said the Islamic group would disarm only when Israel ends its occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, adding that Mr Abbas was in no position to preach to Hamas since the Palestinian leader has yet to disarm the military wing of his own ruling Fatah party, the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.
In violence yesterday, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian taxi driver after his vehicle ran over and killed an Israeli at a roadblock near the West Bank city of Hebron, rescue workers said.