Cairo/Gaza - Egypt is to announce Saturday that crucial reconciliation talks between the Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah scheduled on Monday is to be postponed, al-Jazeera news network reported.

The decision came after Hamas has officially asked Cairo to postpone the talks which they see as "not yet ripe," the report said.

Egypt intends to inform the rest of Palestinian factions who were on their way to attend the meeting.

Earlier in the Gaza Strip, the local Ramattan news agency quoted Palestinian officials as sayiang Egypt had informed them that the dialogue meeting was being postponed.

A Hamas official said his movement decided to boycott the dialogue, blaming the rival Fatah movement headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas cited the ongoing arrest of its supporters by pro-Abbas forces in the West Bank.

"Egypt is convinced and believes President Abbas's account that there are no political prisoners in West Bank," Hamas legislator Salah al-Bardaweel charged. "This has cut any hope to hold the dialogue in this circumstances."

Besides Hamas, the Islamic Jihad was also among the factions deciding to boycott the planned meeting.

In Cairo, while no further date has been set for the talks, officials said they did not consider Hamas' decision as a boycott or as a total cancellation to the talks and that they are determined to let reconciliation between the two feuding factions work.

Egypt has been a main mediator for the Palestinian issue. For months it has been working with factions to pave the way for a dialogue in a bid to end the current inter-Palestinians crisis.

Following nearly two months of talks with some 12 Palestinian movements, including Fatah and Hamas, Egypt presented a draft plan in late October.

The Egyptian plan calls for establishing a new Palestinian national unity government, rehabilitating the security forces of the Palestinian National Authority, reforming the Palestinian Liberation Organization, and preparing for presidential and legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.

Hamas has welcomed the Egyptian paper but with some reservations which they have been negotiating with Cairo.

However, Hamas asked for postponment of the meeting after it accused President Mahmoud Abbas of arresting hundreds of members of the Islamist movement, al-Jazeera reported.

Abbas denies the accusations and insisted his law enforcement forces arrested people who posed a security risk regardless of their political affiliation. (dpa)