The power struggle between Fatah and Hamas may result in introducing changes to the Palestinian flag.

At recent demonstrations in the Gaza Strip, Hamas supporters were seen carrying Palestinian flags that included the Islamic declaration of faith, shahada, "La Ilaha Illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah).

Hamas's green flag already carries the shahada, which also appears on the Saudi flag. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan also had similar writing on its flag.

Fatah officials on Sunday expressed deep concern over Hamas's attempts to change the Palestinian flag. "This is an attempt to obliterate the national and historic character of the flag," said Jamal Nazal, a Fatah spokesman in the West Bank. "Hamas and other Palestinian groups are deliberately ignoring the Palestinian flag because it lacks any religious context."

Nazal pointed out that Palestinian law forbids introducing changes to the flag. "The PLO has paid with the blood of many martyrs to defend the flag, which is the symbol of Palestinian identity."

In another development, Hamas and Fatah traded accusations over curses that were made against God. Fatah officials claimed that Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas recently cursed God during a meeting in Gaza City. Hamas leaders vehemently denied the allegation and threatened to sue those responsible for the charges. They claimed that a senior Fatah activist from the West Bank was the one who cursed God during a TV interview.