PALESTINIAN leader Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday he’d rather resign than let extremists block his peace agenda, but expressed hope that the Islamic militant Hamas, poised to make a strong showing in next week’s Palestinian parliament election, will moderate its views if it shares power.

The Palestinian parliament election, now set for July 17, should be delayed, a top Palestinian official said in an interview published today, a sign of growing unease in the ruling Fatah party with electoral gains made by the Islamic militant group Hamas.