Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas made a "major mistake" in agreeing to let the radical Hamas movement participate in the Palestinian legislative elections, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon warned. "Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority chairman, made a major mistake when he signed an agreement with them which invited them to participate in political life, to participate in the elections, and to become part of the future government," he said in an address to U.S. Jewish leaders in New York.Hamas should disarm and cancel its charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel, before taking up a role in Palestinian politics, Sharon said. Sharon said he has asked European nations and the UN to put pressure on the Palestinians to achieve these two goals. The Palestinian legislative elections are scheduled to be held on January 25. Unless the Palestinians took these two steps, Israel would refuse all support and help during the election process, he said.