Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni telephoned newly appointed Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Salam Fayyad Wednesday as Israel opened formal contacts with the new government. Hamas has rejected his appointment as illegal.

Her phone call broke a 15-month official boycott of contact with the PA although Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has met with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas several times. Foreign Minister Livni expressed hope that the new PA government will bring about "progress on various issues ... as well as advance the political process."