Paris : France was ready to work with the new Palestinian government which will include members from Hamas party, widely considered as a radical movement, the country’s foreign ministry said Thursday.
“France… has always supported the Palestinian reconciliation under the authority of President (Mahmoud) Abbas and the organisation of elections. It is ready to work with a government of the Palestinian Authority but it rejects the use of violence,” Xinhua quoted ministry spokesperson Romain Nadal as saying.
“Every effort must now be made to allow the continuation and success of the peace process,” he added.
On Wednesday, Abbas’ Fatah party and the Hamas movement announced a reconciliation deal and discussions to form a unity government within five weeks and hold general parliamentary and presidential elections within six months.
Shortly after the announcement on ending the seven-year internal split, Israeli negotiators called off a meeting scheduled for Wednesday night in protest of the Palestinian deal.