Solana: Palestinians must recognize Israel

The E.U. foreign policy chief said the new Palestinian Authority government must clearly recognize Israel.”There are many ways whereby you can express the
recognition of Israel,” Solana told The Associated Press on Thursday. “I am not
going to define what is the manner that would be the most appropriate – that’s for them to decide – but in any case it has to be sufficiently
clear that statement can be read and not only imagined.”Solana spoke in Brussels just before a summit in which French President Jacques Chirac was expected to press other
European leaders to support the new Palestinian coalition. Fatah and Hamas leaders said the government’s formation is nearly complete and would be announced next week. Western nations have imposed an embargo since Hamas,
a terrorist group, won elections last year. Preconditions for
resumption of aid include recognition of Israel and renouncing terrorism.