RAMALLAH, Nov 12: Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qorei’s expanded cabinet received an overwhelming endorsement on Wednesday, after calling for a new ceasefire with Israel and committing himself to the stalled peace “roadmap.”

Earlier, Mr Qorei told the Palestinian Legislative Council: “We call on Israel to withdraw its forces from the reoccupied Palestinian territories to lay the ground for legislative and presidential elections to be held in June (2004).”

In Al Quds, Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom said: “If the new Palestinian government is serious about pursuing peace and takes action to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism, they will find Israel a real partner.”

Mr Shalom was speaking after Mr Qorei made a keynote speech in the Palestinian parliament.—AFP