Government urged to take stand on Palestinian government

The government is in duty bound to state its stand on the new Palestinian government, the Labour spokesman on foreign affairs, Leo Brincat, said yesterday.

This was because various western countries appeared to be prepared to dialogue with that government while others intended to limit their contacts with government members who do not form part of Hamas.

Mr Brincat said that while the Israeli government was calling for a boycott of the new government, a public poll among the Israeli people showed that the majority favour dialogue with the new government.

Influential newspapers in Israel, such as Haaretz, have called for full cooperation between the Israeli government and the Palestinian government, Mr Brincat said.