Israel Contacts Palestinians Abroad - News from the Middle East - SPME Scholars for Peace in the Middle East

Israel Contacts Palestinians Abroad

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/07/31/israel_contacts_palestinians_abroad/3138/

JERUSALEM, July 31 (UPI) — Israel seeks to strengthen ties with moderate Palestinians by renewing contact with officials of the Palestinian Authority living abroad, it was reported.

The Israeli foreign ministry last week reversed a ban prohibiting contact, saying circumstances had changed with the formation of the new Palestinian government headed by independent Salam Fayad, Haaretz reported Tuesday.

“It is allowable to resume contacts with Palestinian representatives, like in the past,” said a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

There are 107 official Palestinian Authority diplomatic offices worldwide. Palestinian diplomats have the standing of ambassador, in Arab states as well as Asia and Africa, Haaretz said.

Relations between Israeli and Palestinian diplomats were banned when Hamas assumed power in January 2006, even though none of the diplomats living abroad are affiliated with Hamas.

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