Hamas kingpin Khaled Mashaal attacked the PA Wednesday for the negotiations with Israel, and used the political behavior of Sephardic religious party Shas as proof that the diplomatic process is a hopeless one.

"If Shas is saying the process will not lead it to leave [the government], and that it has received calming messages from Olmert," he said, "the Palestinians must reach the necessary conclusions and understand that it will not lead to anything."

Mashaal spoke at a news conference in Damascus.