Palestinian lawmakers prepared to endorse a new unity cabinet on Saturday after Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of the Islamist Hamas movement declared that it would uphold the right to "all forms" of resistance to Israel.Haniyeh's defiant note contrasted with a conciliatory speech by President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival secular Fatah faction, who stressed the search for peace and urged the world to end a crippling year-old boycott of the Palestinian government.
Israel ruled out dealing with the Fatah-Hamas coalition, citing Hamas's refusal to accept demands, set by a Quartet of foreign peace mediators a year ago, that it forswear violence, recognize the Jewish state and accept past interim peace deals.
The Quartet -- the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations -- suspended direct aid to the government after Hamas beat Fatah in elections and took power last March.
The United States is expected to continue its boycott, but Washington would leave the door open to unofficial contacts with Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, an independent with strong reformist credentials.
France has invited new Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr to Paris, and Britain plans contacts with non-Hamas ministers.
Palestinians hope the new government will halt internal fighting, especially in Gaza, where clashes between rival security forces have killed more than 90 people since December.
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