GAZA, (PIC)-- Ismail Haneyya, the premier of the PA caretaker government, on Tuesday told a press conference that his government was ready to respond favorably to any Arab or international effort to initiate national dialogue in the Palestinian arena.

Haneyya, who was inspecting the employees' bureau while interviewing new candidates for vacant jobs, called on the Arab League to step in and restore Palestinian unity on the basis of equality and without pre-conditions to any dialogue.

Shifting to the issue of calm, the premier said that the Israeli replies were "ambiguous", noting that the Palestinian resistance factions were insisting on their demand of lifting the siege and opening the crossings in return for calm.

He also strongly denounced the Israeli colonialist schemes in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, charging that PA chief Mahmoud Abbas's meetings with Israeli premier Ehud Olmert provide cover for those schemes.

He said that the Israeli settlement expansion proves the "futility" of negotiations held by Abbas with the Israeli occupation government.

In a related development, Haneyya has decided to expand his government to enable it perform its duties at the best possible means, well informed sources said.

They told PIC reporter that Haneyya entrusted Said Siyam with the interior portfolio while five others were nominated to the ministries of transport, religious affairs, social affairs, education and justice and added that they were officially asked to perform their duties as of Tuesday 3/6/2008.