"I look forward to meeting him soon to discuss his plans to take the peace process forward," Blair said in a statement released by his 10 Downing Street office. "I urge all parties to pursue a path of positive engagement as set out by the Quartet" -- the EU, the US, the UN and Russia.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said the result was "good news for peace."
The Times of London hailed the "extraordinary" result as a step toward moderation.
In an editorial, it said that "when the Palestinian election produced the extreme result of a Hamas victory, many thought that the Israeli electorate would react by lurching back to Likud, led by the unpredictable Binyamin Netanyahu. It has not done so."
also see story:
Arab leaders expect little change after Israeli poll
RSS