EU congratulates Olmert on electoral win

The European Union congratulated the electoral victory of acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's Kadima party today and hoped a new Israeli government would push ahead efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.

In early reaction, Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana congratulated all parties in the parliamentary vote, adding that Solana would issue a reaction later today.

EU diplomats hope a new coalition government under Olmert will help push efforts to relaunch peace talks with the Palestinians.

However the new incoming Hamas-led Palestinian government said it was opposed to peace with Israel and it had so far refused to recognise Israel.

Olmert said after his election win that he would act on his own if necessary to draw Israel’s final borders if peace talks with the Palestinians were not possible.