Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that Cyprus could play a “very significant role” in reviving peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis, as he opened a two-day working visit to the island with talks at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.
Mr Abbas met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides for private discussions followed by a working lunch with delegations from both sides. Speaking at the lunch, he said Cyprus was well placed to help mediate because it maintains strong relations with both the Palestinian people and Israel.
“You can play a role in mediating between the two sides, based on a political solution rooted in international legitimacy and United Nations Security Council resolutions,” he said, according to reports of his remarks.
FAKTA
- Who: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
- Where and when: The Presidential Palace in Nicosia, on Thursday 29 October 2026, during a two-day working visit on 29–30 October.
- On the agenda: Bilateral relations, EU–Palestine relations, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the Cyprus problem.
- Peace talks hope: Mr Abbas expressed hope that the formation of a new Israeli government could open the way to serious negotiations, according to reports by Agence France-Presse and the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
- Cyprus offer: Mr Christodoulides said Cyprus stands ready to play any role Mr Abbas deems appropriate in fostering cooperation in the region.
A mediator with ties to both sides
Mr Abbas pointed to Cyprus’s long-standing relationship with the Palestinian people, describing a genuine warmth and human bond between the two peoples, alongside its close ties with Israel. He argued that this dual relationship gives Nicosia a rare position from which to support dialogue.
He also welcomed what he described as significant developments in Europe’s position on the Palestinian issue, noting that several European countries — including Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands — had expressed positions close to the Palestinian stance.
Mr Christodoulides said Cyprus strives through its foreign policy to foster cooperation across its neighbourhood.
What the visit covered
Beyond the peace process, the two leaders discussed Cyprus’s humanitarian role, including the Amalthea sea corridor used for aid shipments to Gaza. The talks also covered bilateral cooperation and relations between the European Union and Palestine.
The visit is the third meeting between the two presidents since Mr Christodoulides took office. Mr Abbas last visited Cyprus in June 2022.
No timetable yet
Despite the hopeful tone, no date has been announced for any resumption of negotiations, and no response from the Israeli side to Mr Abbas’s remarks has been reported. Whether a change of government in Israel will lead to fresh talks remains uncertain.
For now, the visit stands as a diplomatic signal that the Palestinian leadership is looking to friendly intermediaries to keep a negotiated settlement in prospect. Read more international coverage on Watan News.
