Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud AbbasHadas Parush/Flash 90

Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas met on Thursday with Hamas leader Khaled Mashal and Hamas deputy leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, both of whom made the trip from Gaza. PLO general secretary Saeb Erekat also participated in the meeting.

The meeting was held in conjunction with Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and the group discussed different options for PA-Hamas peace agreements and a unity government, as well as PA and PLO elections.

According to PA news sources, both sides agreed on the importance of unity and joint efforts in dealing with the Israeli government's plans to "destroy the two-state solution."

The PA and Hamas leaders emphasized that, "There will not be a Palestinian state in Gaza, and there will not be a Palestinian state without Gaza."

Hamas is interested in joining the PLO in order to take control of it and thereby gain international recognition.