Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas met the leader of the far-left Meretz party in Ramallah on Sunday.

Meretz leader Tamar Zandberg made the trip to Ramallah as she campaigns ahead of Israel's April 9 elections.

During their meeting in the Mukata compound in Ramallah, MK Zandberg said she would push for direct talks towards the establishment of a Palestinian state immediately after the next Israeli government is formed.

"No matter what government will be formed, the first thing it should do is start negotiations," Zandberg said when meeting Abbas at his headquarters.

Abbas said "no matter the radical positions that reject the idea of peace, we follow that principle (of peace)".

The PA leader also blamed Israeli policies for allegedly causing a financial crisis in the Palestinian Authority, excoriating Israel’s decision to withhold tax transfers to the PA, deducting what the PA pays to jailed terrorists and the relatives of terrorists killed during attacks on Israelis.

Despite condemnation from the US, Abbas has refused to end the PA’s policy of paying jailed terrorists and the relatives of slain terrorists, maintaining what Israel has dubbed the “pay-to-slay” policy.

Abbas has also rejected overtures from the US to accept the soon-to-be-released Middle East peace plan, dubbed the “Deal of the Century”.

Following President Donald Trump’s December 6th 2017 announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the PA leader has refused direct contact with US officials.

AFP contributed to this report.