Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Hold Talks With Christodoulides in Cyprus on Thursday

Nicosia, Cyprus. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is due to visit Cyprus on Thursday for talks centred on bilateral relations, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Programme of the visit

Abbas will first arrive at the presidential palace, where he will hold a one-on-one meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides. A working lunch will follow.

Related: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Visit Cyprus for Talks With Christodoulides

RelatedPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Visit Cyprus for Talks With Christodoulides

Domestic criticism

The visit takes place while the government is under criticism over what is described as growing support for Israeli interests in Cyprus. Akel has condemned the establishment of a Cyprus chapter of the Israel Allies Foundation by six MPs from Disy, Diko and Elam. According to the party, the move weakens the credibility of Cyprus as it presses Turkey internationally over its continuing occupation.

Background of relations

Cyprus recognised the State of Palestine right after its declaration in 1988. When Abbas last visited, in June 2022, the then president Nicos Anastasiades pledged that close ties with Israel “would not be to the detriment of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians”.

Christodoulides travelled to Ramallah in 2023 and laid a wreath at the tomb of Yasser Arafat. In March 2024, the first aid ship bound for Gaza departed from a Cypriot port.

Abbas and the Palestinian Authority

Abbas has headed the Palestinian Authority since 2005. His Fatah-dominated authority governs parts of the West Bank, while Hamas ran the Gaza strip.