The United States, in an apparent split with Israel, will have contacts with some non-Hamas members of the new Palestinian government on a case-by-case basis, the US State Department said today.
"Our position is that we are not going to suspend contacts solely based on an individual's membership in the national unity government. We are going to take a look at that on a case-by-case basis," spokesman Sean McCormack said.
Earlier, Italy's foreign minister said that it would be a "serious mistake to shut the door in the face" of the new Palestinian unity government.
Speaking ahead of talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Massimo D'Alema said it was encouraging that the unity government formed yesterday by the Islamist Hamas and the secular Fatah had been so sharply condemned by the militant network al-Qaeda.
"One very important aspect that has been overlooked is that the birth of a new Palestinian government has been very strongly attacked by al-Qaeda and in particular (its deputy leader Ayman) al-Zawahri himself, who has condemned Hamas as traitors," Mr D'Alema said in an interview with Reuters.
"If they have aroused the rabid anger of al-Qaeda, they must be doing something right, since al-Qaeda are our enemies, aren't they?" he said.
Israel intends to shun the new Palestinian government while keeping links with the moderate President Mahmoud Abbas.