LONDON (AFP) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “engage constructively” to seek a two-state solution with Palestinians, his office said Friday.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas claims that Netanyahu, who took office this week, has never believed in a two-state solution of Israel and Palestine living peacefully as neighbors.
Brown's Downing Street office said the British leader called Netanyahu on Thursday night to congratulate him, and also discussed Iran and the Middle East peace process.
“The prime minister encouraged Netanyahu to engage constructively towards a two state solution, building on the Arab Peace Initiative, in particular through action on settlements,” it said in a statement.
Netanyahu began his second term as Israeli prime minister on Wednesday as the Palestinians warned that the hawk heading a largely right-wing cabinet “does not believe in peace.”
Abbas told the official Palestinian news agency: “Benjamin Netanyahu never believed in a two-state solution, or accepted signed agreements and does not want to stop settlement activity. This is obvious.”