GAZA CITY (AFP) - Prime minister Ahmed Qorei urged Palestinians not to allow themselves to be dragged into internecine warfare, amid fears of an outbreak of violence in the event of veteran leader Yasser Arafat's death.
"Taking up arms is not a solution," Qorei told a news conference after meeting with representatives of the main Palestinian factions in Gaza.
"Any domestic problem must be solved by national dialogue. This is the only way."
The two-hour meeting brought together Qorei, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Arafat's Fatah movement, as well as foreign minister Nabil Shaath and parliament speaker Rawhi Fattuh.
"This was a very important meeting because it was the first joint session between all the security services, the factions and me," Qorei added.
While Arafat fights for his life at a French military hospital, officials from his Palestinian Authority and rival factions have appealed for unity and calm.
"We discussed all the issues (politics, security and safety) and we are praying for president Arafat to get better and continue on his path," Qorei said.
Fears of unrest in Gaza are particularly acute as clashes between armed factions and the security forces have broken out on a number of occasions in recent months.
A coordinated plan to protect domestic security was already being carried out, said a statement issued by Qorei's office after the talks.
Earlier Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said: "It is a very sensitive time ... We will ask the leaders of the security services to do everything to protect the Palestinian people and the Palestinian areas."
Khalid el-Batsh, a leader of Islamic Jihad, had also called on Qorei and the security services to "protect security and put an end to all differences".
"We will ask Qorei and brother Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abbas) to face this crisis by ensuring that the Palestinian leadership is united," he said.
On Friday, representatives of the armed factions agreed on the need to prevent political rivalries giving way to violence.
"All parties are determined to live in peace during the period following president Arafat's expected death," a high-level Palestinian security official said, noting the "high degree of cooperation" between security services and the factions.
In Lebanon, Shiite militant group Hezbollah called on Palestinians to unite, saying Israel is counting on discord in their ranks.
"Palestinians in general and Palestinian groups in particular are called upon to unite and cooperate with each other to get through this tough and crucial period," its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, was quoted as saying by the local press.
Earlier on Saturday, Qorei met US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Dibble in the West Bank city of Ramallah, officials said, giving no further details.
Other sources said that Qorei would stay overnight in Gaza to chair a meeting on Sunday of the national security council, a body which is normally headed by Arafat.
11/06/2004 - 16:30 GMT - AFP