Mahmud Abbas warned against any interference in Palestinian affairs Sunday after Israel intensified its threats to disrupt January's parliamentary elections if the radical Hamas movement takes part.
"The Palestinian elections are for the Palestinian people and only the Palestinian people," the Palestinian Authority president told reporters after Israel said Hamas should not be allowed to participate in the ballot as it did not recognise the Jewish state's right to exist.
Following Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's threat to hamper voting in the West Bank, his foreign minister said Israel regarded Hamas's participation as "inconceivable".
"It is inconceivable that a movement such as Hamas, which has a very good chance of doing well or even winning, can participate in elections while calling for the destruction of the state of Israel," said Silvan Shalom.
Sharon, in New York for the UN General Assembly, has said Israel could leave roadblocks in place in the West Bank, making it difficult for voters to reach polling stations, as well as imposing other obstacles in occupied east Jerusalem.
The premier admitted however that Israel "can no longer influence Hamas's participation" in elections in its Gaza Strip stronghold following the withdrawal last week of Israeli troops after a 38-year occupation.
Hamas did not stand in the first elections a decade ago over its opposition to the Oslo accords, which are now widely regarded as a dead letter.
However its strong showing in recent municipal elections has persuaded it to stand in what are only the second ever legislative elections and try and end the long domination of the governing Fatah faction.
In an unprecedented show of strength Sunday, several thousand members of Hamas's military wing, armed with Kalashnikovs and rocket propelled grenade launchers, rallied in a football stadium before marching through Gaza City.
At least 10,000 Hamas supporters then joined the rally as it made its way towards a square in the north of the city where its one-time leader Abdelaziz Rantissi was assassinated by Israel in an air strike last year.
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