Special report: Internal situation in Palestine 

    RAMALLAH, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian official slammed Israel on Thursday for its rejection to the Palestinian unity government, saying the Jewish state was not a peace partner.

    "Israel is not a peace partner and the U.S. supports the Israeli attitude," Palestinian under secretary of foreign affairs ministry Ahmed Soboh said in an interview with local radio Voice of Palestine.

    "They have to understand that what happened was a national Palestinian interest to bolster our internal situation so we will be able to deal with the world," Soboh added while voicing Palestinian readiness to involve in peace talks.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Labor Mahmoud al-Aloul expressed the willingness to deal with the world, saying the new coalition's platform was "flexible to the level that gives Israel no reason to keep boycotting the government."

    He also called on international quartet to change their stance towards the unity government that comprises the rival movements of Hamas and Fatah.

    On Wednesday, the international quartet for Middle East, namely the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, issued a statement calling on the Palestinian government to recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals.