The new Hamas prime minister said Thursday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is free to negotiate with Israel on his own and that his government will take control of the Palestinian security forces.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, speaks to reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, Tuesday, April 4, 2006. Abbas on Tuesday condemned the Israeli missile attack on his presidential compound in Gaza. 'The continuous random bombarding in Gaza is not justified. It wants nothing but to disrupt daily life of Palestinian people,' he said. [AP]

Abbas, "as the head of the Palestinian Authority and the PLO, can move on political fronts and negotiate with whomever he wants. What is important is what will be offered to the Palestinian people," Ismail Haniyeh told The Associated Press in an interview.

Haniyeh also rejected attempts by the international community to wrest authority from his government by giving more responsibility to Abbas.