Russia welcomes Mecca deal, urges lifting freeze on Hamas gov't

Russia on Friday welcomed the unity government deal reached by Hamas and Fatah and appealed for the lifting of a freeze on direct aid to the Palestinian government.

"We think the future Palestinian national government ... will be an important factor in the process of reviving Israeli-Palestinian talks," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We also believe the implementation of Mecca agreements should be combined with lifting a blockade of the Palestinian territories which has inflicted suffering and hardship on the people." (Reuters)