Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Cyprus could help bring Israel and the Palestinians back to political dialogue after a new Israeli government is formed, setting out a possible post-election role for Nicosia.
Speaking Thursday in Nicosia alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, Abbas said the formation of Israel’s next government could create an opening for serious political dialogue that may lead to peace, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. He said international resolutions should guide the effort following the Oct. 27 Israeli election.
Abbas voiced hope that Cyprus could contribute to peace efforts and referred to its support for Palestinian rights in international settings. He also emphasized continued coordination between the two sides, WAFA reported.
WAFA said Abbas described Gaza’s humanitarian situation as catastrophic, citing killing, destruction, starvation and attempts to displace Palestinians. The agency also noted that Palestinian-Cypriot relations predate Cyprus’s recognition of Palestine in 1988.
Abbas linked the possibility of renewed dialogue to the formation of Israel’s next government.
