(NSI News Source Info) April 13, 2009: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu ha
s told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas he intends to resume talks and co-operation to promote peace.
It was their first contact since Mr Netanyahu took office on 31 March.
Mr Abbas initiated the telephone call, which Mr Netanyahu's office described as "friendly and warm".
The new Israeli leader has not publicly endorsed the creation of a fully independent Palestinian state - a fundamental demand of the Palestinians.
An Israeli statement said that during his conversation with Mr Abbas, Mr Netanyahu "recalled their past co-operation and conversations, and how he intended to resume this in the future in order to advance peace".
'Not binding'
Mr Netanyahu leads a right-leaning coalition, which combines the centre-right, centre-left and far-right parties. 
Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and fellow member, Israel Katz (L), greet supporters as they head to the polls to select the party's Knesset list, at Tel Aviv's fairgrounds on January 12, 2006. Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Lebanon's Shiite fundamentalist movement Hezbollah and a nemesis of Israel, "deserves death," Israel Katz, Israeli transport minister and a close to hawkish premier Benjamin Netanyahu told army radio on April 12, 2009. His remarks came several days after Egypt's prosecutor announced the arrest of 49 people linked with Hezbollah, suspected of planning attacks in Egypt. Nasrallah confirmed on March 10 that one of those detained, Sami Shihab, is a member of Hezbollah, but denied seeking to destabilise the country, saying the man was responsible for helping transport arms to the Hamas rulers in Gaza.
During his campaign, he said he was willing to negotiate with the Palestinians but that it was premature to talk of statehood. Instead, he offered Palestinians "economic peace".
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, has dismissed past peace initiatives by US administrations.
He has also said the previous Israeli government's acceptance of Palestinian statehood was not binding.
On Saturday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat reiterated his administration's position that that for peace talks to resume, Israel must declare its support for a two-state solution.
s told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas he intends to resume talks and co-operation to promote peace.
It was their first contact since Mr Netanyahu took office on 31 March.
Mr Abbas initiated the telephone call, which Mr Netanyahu's office described as "friendly and warm".
The new Israeli leader has not publicly endorsed the creation of a fully independent Palestinian state - a fundamental demand of the Palestinians.
An Israeli statement said that during his conversation with Mr Abbas, Mr Netanyahu "recalled their past co-operation and conversations, and how he intended to resume this in the future in order to advance peace".
'Not binding'
Mr Netanyahu leads a right-leaning coalition, which combines the centre-right, centre-left and far-right parties. Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and fellow member, Israel Katz (L), greet supporters as they head to the polls to select the party's Knesset list, at Tel Aviv's fairgrounds on January 12, 2006. Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Lebanon's Shiite fundamentalist movement Hezbollah and a nemesis of Israel, "deserves death," Israel Katz, Israeli transport minister and a close to hawkish premier Benjamin Netanyahu told army radio on April 12, 2009. His remarks came several days after Egypt's prosecutor announced the arrest of 49 people linked with Hezbollah, suspected of planning attacks in Egypt. Nasrallah confirmed on March 10 that one of those detained, Sami Shihab, is a member of Hezbollah, but denied seeking to destabilise the country, saying the man was responsible for helping transport arms to the Hamas rulers in Gaza.
During his campaign, he said he was willing to negotiate with the Palestinians but that it was premature to talk of statehood. Instead, he offered Palestinians "economic peace".
Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who leads the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, has dismissed past peace initiatives by US administrations.
He has also said the previous Israeli government's acceptance of Palestinian statehood was not binding.
On Saturday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat reiterated his administration's position that that for peace talks to resume, Israel must declare its support for a two-state solution.
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