Abbas calls for peace talks in phone call with Bush

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas calls for peace talks in a phone call with U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday, a presidency spokesman said.

"President Abbas told Mr. Bush that it's time for resumption ofMiddle East peace talks," Nabil Abu Rudaina, who is also an aide to Abbas, was quoted by Palestinian official Wafa news agency as saying.

He said that Bush, on his part, expressed support to Abbas and his policies after Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last week.

Also in the day, Abu Rudaina told a news conference that the formation of the new government which is committed to peace talks "is a test to check Israel's good faith towards peace."

He called on Israel to review its policy against the Palestinians and stop its unilateral actions in the West Bank.

"Israel must make a deep change in its attitude towards the peace process," said Abu Rudaina.

In the wake of Hamas' takeover of Gaza, Abbas outlawed the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and its affiliated armed groups on Sunday and swore in the Palestinian emergency government in West Bank city of Ramallah.

The new Palestinian government with only 11 ministers excluded Hamas members. However, it has gained support from both the United States and the European Union.

But Hamas rejected Abbas' decision to sack the unity government and considered the emergency government as "illegitimate."

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said on Saturday that a new emergency Palestinian government would be a partner for peace in negotiations with Israel.