Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Saturday that Hamas is continuing its involvement in the firing of Qassam rockets at Israel, Israel Radio reported.

Addressing a meeting of former foreign ministers in Berlin, Peres said that Hamas is also preventing Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas from conducting meaningful peace negotiations with Israel.

According to the radio, Peres called on European leaders to assist in promoting the economic foundations for peace, including building a modern economic infrastructure in the PA.

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Israeli and Palestinian peace activists called on Friday for the European Union to take a leading role in reviving Middle East peace efforts and end a boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian national unity government.

In joint recommendations adopted after a two-day conference, members of the Israeli left and moderate, secular Palestinian nationalists said their own leaders were too weak and urged the EU to act as a "catalyser" to bring the parties to the table.

Participants included presidential hopeful Colette Avital (Labor) party junior partner in government, and Bernard Sabella, a member of the Palestine Legislative Council, as well as ex-diplomats, human rights campaigners and academics.

"The conditions are right for Europe to bring the parties to the negotiation table for a successful completion of talks for a two-state solution," they said.

The group urged the EU to adhere to its principle of respecting democratically elected governments and "end the political and economic boycott of the Palestinian government and the Palestinian people".

The Israeli-Palestinian civil society dialogue in Brussels began discreetly in 1988, when Israel refused to speak to the Palestine Liberation Organization, which in turn refused to recognize Israel's right to exist.

Belgian peace activists David and Simone Susskind said they had revived it now because there was new hope for peace among Israelis and Palestinians but a need for international impetus.

Participants called for a permanent mechanism for talks made up of the Quartet of international mediators - the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations - and the Arab League's Quartet -Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Israel and the Palestinians.

EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said last week he was working with Washington on such a framework. But EU diplomats say there are many obstacles, including reluctance by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to meet Israel until it accepts the Arab peace initiative adopted by a summit in Riyadh.

The EU has eased its boycott of the Palestinian government, talking to non-Hamas ministers and considering ways of resuming some direct aid to the Palestinian Finance Ministry.

But the 27-nation bloc has refused to deal with Hamas or its ministers until the government "reflects" three conditions set by the international community - recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence and acceptance of past peace agreements.

The Palestinian unity government's platform respects past agreements but does not explicitly recognize Israel or renounce armed struggle.

Two British European Parliament members who met Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh last week said he had made clear his government's commitment to comply with the requirements of the Quartet, in particular through recognition of Israel.

Liberal Democrat Chris Davies said in a statement Haniyeh said he would engage with the Quartet "without reservation". But Davis said Haniyeh had also warned the Palestinian Authority risked complete collapse if it was not given support.