Gaza - The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas should rule in the West Bank in addition to the Gaza Strip which it currently controls, a senior Hamas leader said Saturday.

"Hamas movement must rule in Gaza and the occupied West Bank according to the results of the elections," said Mahmoud Zahar, former Hamas foreign minister in Gaza.

His remarks were made in response to Western support for the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose forces currently control the West Bank.

Headquartered in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Fatah forces have been cracking down on the Islamic movement's supporters there, Hamas says.

Zahar called on "the Palestinian people in West Bank to reignite an intifada (uprising) if the Ramallah authority" backed up the onslaught on Hamas by Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist group.

Hamas accuses Fatah of trying to topple the government the Islamic movement formed after winning 2006 parliamentary elections. Rounds of talks and fighting between the two sides ended last year with Hamas routing pro-Abbas forces, ousting Fatah from the Gaza Strip.

Abbas consolidated his power base in the West Bank with a western- backed government. Zahar's call today was the first statement by Hamas indicating the group's designs on the West Bank. Hamas has up till now denied plans to take the West Bank by force.

Zahar meanwhile ruled out an imminent reconciliation with Fatah. "The reconciliation is the mechanism of the dialogue, but Ramallah is not ready for reconciliation now."

Zahar accused the United States of imposing "a veto" on the Palestinian dialogue. (dpa)