Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated on Friday that he is determined to push the planned Palestinian National Unity Government to comply with the Quartet demands of recognizing Israel, renouncing violence and accepting the previously signed peace agreements.– @page { size: 21.59cm 27.94cm; margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } –>
The Quartet consists of the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations.
After a Friday meeting with European Union Chief diplomat Javier Solana in Brussels, Abbas stated that the Fateh party is committed to the two-state solution, living side-by-side in peace with Israel.
Abbas is conducting a tour of European Nations in an attempt to lift the siege that has been imposed on the Palestinians since Hamas achieved an overwhelming victory in last year's legislative elections.
Meanwhile, Solana said that the E.U is waiting to see how the planned Palestinian Unity Government would operate before making any decision, Haaretz reported.
He added that the E.U cannot boycott “what does not exists”, but said that this government must abide with the principles of the Quartet.
Solana also said that the E.U is “not boycotting the Palestinian people”, adding that the E.U gave a total of 700 million Euros in aid to the Palestinians, this number is 200 million Euros more than in the years before Hamas won the elections.
After Hamas won the legislative elections in 2006, the E.U and the U.S froze all direct aid that was provided to the Palestinian Authority.
Also on Friday, President Mahmoud Abbas met with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who welcomed the planned Palestinian unity government, but affirmed that this government must recognize Israel.
Germany is currently holding the presidency of the E.U. She stated that the unity deal between Hamas and Fateh is positive because it managed to end the internal clashes between the two movements. The clashes claimed the lives of 130 residents.
Merkel's statements came after her meting with Abbas in Berlin. She also said that the new government must abide by the conditions of the Quartet.
Abbas met with Merkel in an effort to gather support for the unity government deal after Wednesday's talks with the British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.
On Thursday, Abbas met with the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Over the coming weekend, foreign ministers of seven Muslim Countries and the chief of the Organization of the Islamic Conference will meet in Pakistan in preparation for an Islamic summit that intends to end violence in the Middle East.
The conference was the idea of the Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf, who repeatedly stated that if the Palestinian issue is not solved, there will always be “violence and extremism” in several countries.
Pakistan did not recognize Israel, but still it's government held talks with senior Israeli leaders.
