Jerusalem - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas telephoned new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday, and urged him to work with the Palestinian Authority in search of peace. A statement issued by Netanyahu's office said the Palestinian leader had called the premier to congratulate him on the occasion of the Passover holiday.

Netanyahu, the statement said, told Abbas he intended resuming the cooperation they had in the past.

Netanyahu, leader of the hawkish Likud Party, was sworn in as premier on March 31.

Although he has said he wants a "comprehensive peace" with Arab states, he as so far refrained from explicitly endorsing a Palestinian state, which the Palestinians insist be the end result of the peace process. (dpa)