Abbas to call for Starmer to prevent ‘destruction of Palestinian people’ at Downing St meeting
UK PM schedluled to meet Palestinian president on Monday
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will call for an end to “the aggression, destruction and starvation being inflicted upon the Palestinian people”at a meeting with Keir Starmer in Downing Street, his office has said.
The pair are scheduled to meet at No.10 on Monday evening, with the UK government only weeks away from recognition of a Palestinian state.
The meeting with Abbas comes in the wake of the terrorist attack, that killed six and left many others injured, in Jerusalem on Monday morning.
Jewish News has previously reported that Starmer is also likely to meet with Israeli president Isaac Herzog when he arrives in the UK later this week.
Palestinian terrorists opened fire on people at a bus stop in Jersusalem killing six and wounding another 12.
In a statement the Palestinian Authority presidency said of the deadly attack: “The presidency affirms its stance in rejecting and condemning any harm to Palestinian and Israeli civilians, and rejects all forms of violence, regardless of their source.”
But it added:”Security and stability will not be achieved without an end to the occupation“ and that Palestinian statehood “is the sole guarantee for ending the cycle of violence in the region.”
Starmer had previously met with Abbas brieft at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
He has also previously hosted the Palestinian PM Mohammad Mustafa at Downing Street, to agree a memorandum of understanding, over a process towards a two-state solution.
Downing Street has previously indicated the government will recognise a Palestinian state later this month, ahead of the meeting of the United Nations general assembly.
The PM’s spokesperson said: “We continue to intend to recognise the state of Palestine before the UN general assembly, subject to the conditions that we set out.
“We’ve been very clear that Hamas will play no role in the future governance of Gaza or the West Bank, and must commit to disarmament.”
Keir Starmer is set to meet Mahmoud Abbas as the government continues steps towards recognising a Palestinian state, PA Media reports. PA says:
The meeting with the president of the Palestinian Authority this evening comes in the wake of Monday’s rush hour terror attack in Jerusalem.
Palestinian attackers opened fire on people at a bus stop, killing six and wounding another 12, according to Israeli officials.
Yvette Cooper, the new foreign secretary, said she was “horrified by the terrorist attack in Jerusalem”.
Abbas’s office issued a statement “condemning any targeting of Palestinian and Israeli civilians”.
Abbas arrived in London on Sunday night for a three-day visit.
He plans to use his talks with Starmer to push for an end to “the aggression, destruction and starvation being inflicted upon the Palestinian people”, his officials said.
Downing Street indicated that the government maintained its intention to recognise a Palestinian state later this month, ahead of the meeting of the United Nations general assembly.
The PM’s spokesperson said: “We continue to intend to recognise the state of Palestine before the UN general assembly, subject to the conditions that we set out. We’ve been very clear that Hamas will play no role in the future governance of Gaza or the West Bank, and must commit to disarmament.”
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