Abbas calls for Irish support during his meeting with Sinn Fein leader

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Irish Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams on Thursday at the headquarters of the Palestinian presidency in Ramallah to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian territories.

The official Palestinian news agency, Safa, quoted Abbas as stressing the importance of Irish and international support for Palestinian’s UN Security Council bid that seeks to determine the timeframe for ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state.

Last October, Palestine distributed a draft resolution to the UN Security Council’s members in preparation for formal submission of the resolution to the Council. The bill stipulates the termination of “the Israeli occupation” of Palestinian territories by November 2016, and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

During a press conference following his meeting with Abbas, Adams said that Sinn Fein supports the peace process in the Middle East, and supports the Palestinian people’s right to independence and self-determination.

He expressed concern about the escalating tension in the city of Jerusalem, and called on the international community to work toward maintaining stability and ensuring respect for and implementation of international law and conventions.

Adams criticised Israeli for continuing to violate international law through its insistence on constructing settlements on Palestinian land, and through preventing the freedom of movement of the Palestinian people.

The city of Jerusalem has experienced clashes for several weeks amid continued storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by settlers and attacks on Israeli targets by Palestinians.