The leaders of the Palestinian Fatah and Hamas movements will arrive in Moscow on Friday to discuss plans for the recognition of a Palestinian state, a member of the Palestinian Al-Shaab party said.

Fatah and Hamas signed a peace deal in Cairo on May 4, ending a four-year split between the two factions that opened when Hamas ousted Fatah forces from Gaza in 2007.

"Today the leaders of Fatah, Hamas, the People's and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the head of the Palestinian People's Party, Al-Shaab departed for Moscow," Al-Shaab member Walid al-Awad said.

He said Moscow had invited the leaders to continue talks on reconciliation and discuss plans for the recognition of a Palestinian state.

"Russia wishes to join other States which have participated in attempts to reconcile the Palestinians," al-Awad said. "I believe that the atmosphere in Moscow will be comfortable for objective and effective dialogue, and if problems arise we will be able to turn to our Russian friends for help."

According to the May 4 agreement, Hamas and Fatah will form a technocratic government to unify national institutions on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank and prepare for national elections within a year.

Israeli authorities have denounced the peace deal between Hamas and Fatah, which were reached last week during talks in Egypt, and threatened sanctions, calling on Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to choose between peace with the "terrorist organization," Hamas, or Israel.

GAZA, May 20 (RIA Novosti)