Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit said on Monday 28-5-2007: Egypt's contacts with various Palestinian factions will continue so as to bring close their viewpoints, reconcile them and calm conditions inside the Palestinian territories.

He added, calling on all Palestinian powers to stand steadfastly behind the Palestinian government.

During the Monday meeting with visiting Palestinian Deputy Premier Azzam Al-Ahmed, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit underscored that the Palestinian infighting was a boon only to the Israeli side.

The inter-Palestinian clashes also back allegations that there was no Palestinian partner in negotiations, said Abul-Gheit.

Talks took up the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, especially the recent Israeli military escalation in Gaza Strip and the detention of senior Palestinian officials, topped by Education Minister Nasser Al-Shaer, said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alaa El-Hadidi.

Abul-Gheit and Al-Ahmed feel that there is a link between what is happening in the Gaza Strip and northern Lebanon, noted Hadidi.

Abul-Gheit deplored the Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territories and the excessive use of force, warning that such actions would further complicate the situation.

He urged an immediate halt of all Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the importance of confidence-building between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to secure a proper climate or negotiations in order to establish an independent Palestinian state.

He urged Israel to take measures to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, including free trade movement as well as opening the Rafah crossing.

In a related development, Minister Abul-Gheit said an international peacekeeping mission will be fanned out only along Gaza Strip borders with Israel only after a Palestinian-Israeli understanding is reached.

During a meeting with UN Mideast peace envoy Michael Williams, Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry Alaa Hadidi said that Abul-Gheit stressed that these forces will be deployed to protect the Palestinians from the repeated Israeli attacks and to monitor the two sides' commitment to the truce deal.