Mahmoud Abbas Seeks Peace Talks During Cyprus Visit

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas conducted a two-day working visit to Nicosia on October 29, meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace. During the visit, Abbas expressed hope that the formation of a new Israeli government following the October 27 elections would enable the resumption of stalled peace talks. He noted that Palestine is willing to discuss peace once a government is established, emphasizing a commitment to peaceful popular resistance to ensure security and stability for both nations.

The meeting follows an Israeli election in which neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot secured a parliamentary majority, likely leading to weeks of coalition negotiations. This political uncertainty comes amid years of stagnant peace processes, increased settlement construction in the West Bank, and the ongoing war in Gaza.

President Christodoulides reaffirmed that Cyprus supports a resolution to the Palestinian issue based on United Nations resolutions and offered the island's assistance in achieving Palestinian goals. He highlighted that Cyprus provides significant humanitarian aid to Palestine and trains Palestinian emergency workers at the Cyclops center in Larnaca. While the visit focused on diplomacy, the Greek Cypriot government faces domestic criticism over its defense and business ties with Israel, and the administration of Turkish Cyprus issued a statement criticizing the visit for disregarding the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.