RAMALLAH, West Bank, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair Sunday urged worldwide restoration of contact with Hamas, if the Palestinian militants renounce violence and recognize Israel.
Speaking on the West Bank, he also called on the Islamist organization to form a unity government with the Palestinian National Authority.
Blair -- the first Western leader to approve of a Palestinian government that includes members of Hamas, which the United States considers a terrorist group -- spoke after meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate who has been trying to persuade Hamas to join a unity government.
Abbas has said a coalition would force Hamas to soften its anti-Israel ideology.
Blair said a government with Hamas would have to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept previous peace agreements with the Jewish state, Britain's Independent newspaper reported.
"If such a government is formed, I believe it is right that the international community deal with such a government," Blair said.
