Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has issued a decree convicting any one who joins the executive forces of rival Hamas movement, a local news agency reported on Thursday.

The Hamas police force participated alongside Hamas' military wing in Gaza fighting against Abbas' Fatah movement and the forces loyal to the Palestinian President. The Islamists took control of Gaza Strip in June.

"Any one joins the executive forces or Hamas militia would be jailed between 3-7 years," says the decree which Ramattan news agency said was secret.

"The executive forces and Hamas militia are outlaw and unauthorized," the decree, dated on August 13, added. It also ordered the banks to freeze accounts of the executive forces members.

The police force was established during the rule of Hamas government in May 2006 to help the civil police imposing law and ordered in the volatile Gaza.

Earlier this month, the caretaker Palestinian government, formed by Abbas after Hamas' takeover of Gaza, has mistakenly transferred payments to some 3.500 members of Hamas police force. The Palestinian Islamic Bank in Gaza has blocked the money upon a request from Ramallah government. As a result, Hamas forces have arrested the bank's director for questioning.

Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his movement "can not be erased through presidential decrees."

His remarks were made following a decree by Abbas to fire eight Hamas men from their governmental jobs for helping the dismissed Hamas government that still functioning in the Gaza Strip. "The employees can be sacked after a court ruling, so we reject Abbas' decision and insist those employees will remain in their work," Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2007)