( Zaman ) - Ankara has welcomed the formation of a new Palestinian unity government, describing it as "a new hope" for peace efforts in the region and the expectations of the Palestinian people.
A written statement released by the Foreign Ministry over the weekend also noted that "A tough duty is awaiting the new government in regards to dispelling the troubles of the Palestinian people, maintaining domestic peace in Palestine and making institutions function again."
The international community's full support for the new government is "a fundamental must" so it can rise to the occasion, the Foreign Ministry said, noting that this would also help rebuild the dialogue between Palestine and Israel.
On Saturday, Palestinians installed a new, more moderate coalition government in hopes of persuading the international community to end its isolation of the Palestinian Authority and lift a year of crippling sanctions. Israel promptly announced it would not deal with the coalition because governing partners Hamas and Fatah stopped short of explicitly recognizing the Jewish state or renouncing violence as the international community had demanded.
"With establishment of the new national unity government, a precious window of opportunity has been opened for maintaining public order in Palestine and revitalizing the peace process which has been stifled for years. All parties should act with common sense and awareness of the responsibility for making good use of this opportunity," the ministry statement emphasized. "Within this framework, the international community is expected to embrace an encouraging approach, free of bias toward the new Palestinian government."