The Palestinian Authority welcomed an initiative unveiled by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Thursday for an international peace conference on the Middle East.
"We salute the idea of organising an international peace conference on the Middle East, especially as the roadmap makes provision for holding such a conference," spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said.
The roadmap, the last international plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has made next to no progress since its launch in 2003, and has already missed its initial target date to create a Palestinian state.
"We welcome any international effort seeking to unblock the peace process and implement the roadmap," added Abu Rudeina.
France, Italy and Spain are seeking a Middle East cease-fire, a prisoner exchange and an international peace conference, Zapatero said following talks with French President Jacques Chirac in Spain.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, swiftly rejected the initiative outright as "hasty".