After Norway was the first to fold last week on the international boycott of the Palestinian Authority, which is party headed by Hamas, other European countries have quickly followed suit. Sweden sent its Foreign Minister to meet with PA officials, including chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PA Finance Minister Salem Fayyad, after Norway recognized the new PA unity government and sent a representative to meet with the PA.
Also in Ramallah for talks this weekend with Abbas, Fayyad, and PA Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr are the top EU envoy to the Middle East, Marc Otte, and Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht.