Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Saturday that a new emergency Palestinian government, due to be sworn in on Sunday, would be Israel's partner for peace negotiations, local Ha'aretz newspaper reported.

As Olmert was leaving for the United States on a three-day visit, he told reporters that a Palestinian government without Hamas could be Israel's partner for peace.

"We have a new opportunity in the last few days that we haven't had in a long time," Olmert said.

In the wake of the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas, Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday dissolved the Fatah-Hamas unity government, which lasted only three months.

A new emergency Palestinian government headed by Salam Fayyad will be sworn in at 1 p.m. (1000 GMT) on Sunday.

The fighting between Hamas and Fatah in the Gaza Strip ended late Thursday after Hamas completed its takeover of all the important PNA institutions there, including Abbas' local headquarters and the offices of all the PNA security forces.

Scores of Fatah security commanders and political leaders fled to the West Bank and Egypt as Hamas announced that it had taken full control of the Strip.

On Friday, Abbas asked Salaam Fayad, the independent and internationally respected former finance minister, to form a new cabinet that would replace the Hamas-led unity government.

Meanwhile, Israel's Public Security Minister Avi Dichter said on Saturday that Israel, fearing a looming humanitarian disaster, will allow food and other basic supplies into the Gaza Strip.

"Our consideration is the humanitarian issue. Allowing merchandise through Karni in order to prevent hunger in Gaza is what will guide Israel to allow merchandise," Dichter told local Channel 2 TV.

Dichter said Hamas' conquest in Gaza signaled the collapse of PNA, the government entity established under past peace accords. But he also said the new reality has turned the West Bank into an arena of opportunity for Israel.

Dichter said a Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip should be treated as a "terror" entity and cut off its weapons supply, adding that Israel will deploy along Gaza's border with Egypt to halt weapons smuggling.

Source: Xinhua