Cyprus can play a “very significant role” in a future peace process between Palestinians and Israelis, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday, as he attended a working lunch held at Cyprus’ presidential palace.
“You can play a very significant role. I will not dwell on the excellent relationship which exists between the Palestinian people and the Cypriot people and the Republic of Cyprus, but you also maintain excellent relations, and rightly so, with Israel,” he said.
As such, he said, “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”.
Regarding relations between Palestine and Cyprus, he said that “the Palestinian people not only sense their geographical proximity to the Cypriot people, but also perceive a genuine warmth, an existential, human bond, with them”.
He then referred to wider recognition being offered to the Palestinian state by other countries in Europe in recent years, saying that “for some time now, there have been significant developments regarding the European position on the Palestinian issue”.
“By way of example, Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands have expressed positions which are nearly identical to the Palestinian stance. This is particularly gratifying for us, as Europe, in general, can play a vital role in reaching a settlement and establishing peace in the region,” he said.
A greater European role in matters, he added, “would benefit all the countries in the region”.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, meanwhile, said that “the Republic of Cyprus stands ready to play any role you deem appropriate in fostering cooperation within our region”, and that “this is precisely what we strive to achieve through our foreign policy”.
“At the same time, as a European Union member state in this region, we convey the concerns of states in the region to Europe, while simultaneously representing the European Union within the region. We are pleased that this role we have undertaken has been recognised by other member states, as well as by EU institutions,” he said.
He added that “we cannot change geography” and said that for this reason “we must all work together, based on a positive agenda and a positive approach, to achieve our common goals.”
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday offered his “warm thanks” to the Republic of Cyprus for the country’s “humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people”, as he arrived in Nicosia to meet Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
He made reference to the fact that the Republic of Cyprus has recognised Palestinian statehood since 1988, a move which he said “reflects the Republic of Cyprus’ position of solidarity for the rights of the Palestinian people”.
“I believe that the relation between Palestine and the Republic of Cyprus dates back to well before 1988, when there were very close relations between Cyprus and Palestine,” he said.
He then added that he wished to “stress in front of the whole world our warm thanks to the Republic of Cyprus for its humanitarian and political support for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian problem”.
“We are interested in the security of the region, and we are also interested in the security of Israelis. We do not want military friction and conflicts, and we want to solve the problem on the basis of the [United Nations] security council, based on international law, to the benefit of the whole region,” he said.
On this front, he stressed that “we have adopted a slogan which we are not embarrassed to say loud and clear, that we are in favour of peaceful, popular resistance which expresses the protest of the Palestinian people in cases where the rights of the Palestinian people are violated”.
He added during a planned one-on-one meeting with Christodoulides, “we will have an extensive opportunity to exchange views on the situation, and on the extent to which the Palestinian people is suffering, whether that is related to the Gaza strip, or the West Bank, or East Jerusalem, which is the legal capital of the Palestinian state, based on international resolutions”.
“For many years, we have been extending an olive branch to the Israeli side, so as to reach a settlement and for peace to prevail, not only directly between Israel and Palestine, but also between Israel and the neighbouring Arab nations, to the benefit of the entire region and world,” he said.
He also made reference to this week’s Israeli elections, saying that “we are still awaiting the final results and the final form of the Israeli government” which will be formed thereafter, but that “as soon as it is formed, we are willing to discuss with them the matter of peace”.
“When [the new Israeli government] is formed, your supporting role, given that you have such good intentions and that you are a neighbouring country, a neighbouring friendly country, will be to work towards a peaceful discussion which will have tangible positive results,” he said.
Christodoulides, meanwhile, said of the Republic of Cyprus’ recognition of Palestinian statehood that “our position regarding the resolution of the Palestinian issue is clear, based on the agreed framework of United Nations resolutions”.
“At the same time, current circumstances highlight both the importance we place on our bilateral relations and our commitment to fostering conditions of security and stability in our region,” he said.
He also made reference to the humanitarian aid Cyprus sends towards Palestine and the training offered to Palestinian emergency workers at Larnaca’s Cyclops centre, before returning to the issue of geopolitics.
“Your visit takes place at a critical juncture for our region. I look forward to our discussion and exchange of views, as we explore how we can work together, through a positive approach, to foster conditions of security and stability in the region,” he said.
In this, he stressed that “the Republic of Cyprus is part of the solution to the problems in the region” and “not part of the problems”.
“We are constantly working within this positive framework, and, naturally, we remain at the disposal of Palestine, ready to play whatever role they deem necessary for the Republic of Cyprus to fulfil, so as to achieve our common goals,” he said.
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas will be visiting Cyprus on Thursday, with talks on the island focusing on bilateral relations, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and developments in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The two-day visit’s schedule includes Abbas’ arrival at the presidential palace and a tete-a-tete meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides followed by a working lunch.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said in a written statement that this was the third meeting between the two presidents since Christodoulides was elected, with their latest meeting taking place in Palestine in May 2025.
Letymbiotis said that on Thursday the two leaders were to discuss Cyprus-Palestine bilateral relations, the situation in the region and Cyprus’ humanitarian role, including through the Amalthea maritime corridor for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. They were also set to discuss EU-Palestine relations and the latest developments in the Cyprus problem.
“Cyprus and Palestine share longstanding historical relations and close ties, both at the political level and in other areas, as well as through cooperation between the two peoples,” he added.
The trip comes as the government faces criticism over its increasing support for Israeli interests in Cyprus.
Akel has attacked the creation of a Cyprus chapter of the Israel Allies Foundation by six MPs from Disy, Diko and Elam, which the party has said undermines the credibility of Cyprus in its efforts to press Turkey internationally on its ongoing occupation.
Cyprus recognised the State of Palestine immediately after its declaration in 1988.
When Abbas visited in June 2022, then President Nicos Anastasiades pledged that close ties with Israel “would not be to the detriment of the legitimate rights of the Palestinians”.
President Nikos Christodoulides visited Ramallah in 2023 and laid a wreath at Yasser Arafat’s tomb, and in March 2024 the first aid ship for Gaza left a Cypriot port.
Abbas has led the Palestinian Authority since 2005, with his Fatah-dominated authority governing parts of the West Bank, while Hamas ran the Gaza strip.
The European Union has expressed serious concern over the Palestinian Authority’s decision to postpone legislative and presidential elections until September 2027, placing renewed pressure on President Mahmoud Abbas over democratic accountability and the future of Palestinian political institutions.
In a statement issued on 14th October, the EU said it regretted the postponement of legislative elections previously scheduled for 28th November 2026 and a presidential contest expected in early 2027.
The decision extends an electoral impasse that has lasted for nearly two decades. Palestinians last voted in legislative elections in 2006, while Abbas was elected president in January 2005.
The EU’s formal statement called for both contests to be organised as soon as conditions allow, stressing that credible elections are necessary for representative institutions and political accountability.
The intervention is particularly significant because the EU remains one of the Palestinian Authority’s most important financial supporters and has made institutional reform a central element of its approach to Palestinian state-building.
The postponement was announced through the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive structures following consultations over the conditions necessary to conduct voting in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Palestinian officials have cited restrictions imposed by Israel, continuing insecurity and difficulties involving election materials, observers and access to voting locations.
Israel has disputed the suggestion that it was responsible for preventing the elections from proceeding.
The practical difficulties are substantial. The Palestinian Authority exercises limited administrative control in parts of the West Bank, while Hamas has maintained de facto control over Gaza since 2007, despite subsequent changes in the territory’s security and governance arrangements.
Holding elections across geographically separated territories under different political and security conditions would require agreements extending well beyond the Palestinian Authority’s existing administrative powers.
Those obstacles do not, however, resolve the separate question of democratic legitimacy.
Abbas’s original presidential term expired in 2009, and subsequent extensions of his authority have not been confirmed through a new presidential election. The absence of regular legislative elections has similarly weakened the representative basis of Palestinian governance.
The latest postponement means that Palestinians must wait at least another year for an opportunity to choose their national political leadership.
For the European Union, the delay raises questions about the relationship between political reform and financial support.
In April 2025, the European Commission announced a proposed multiannual programme worth up to €1.6 billion for Palestinian recovery and institutional development between 2025 and 2027.
The programme includes approximately €620 million in direct financial support to the Palestinian Authority, alongside assistance for reconstruction, public services and economic recovery.
European officials have repeatedly stressed that part of this support is linked to implementation of agreed reforms, including improvements in public financial management, transparency and administrative accountability.
Those priorities were central to the Brussels donor discussions previously examined by EU Today, where international partners considered how a reformed Palestinian Authority might assume a greater role in Gaza’s future governance.
The election postponement adds a political dimension to those financial arrangements.
The EU’s statement did not announce any suspension of funding, nor did it specify that electoral delays would automatically trigger financial penalties.
Instead, Brussels emphasised that continued assistance to the Palestinian Authority must accompany progress towards institutional reform and the development of credible representative structures.
That distinction matters because European financial assistance also supports public services and civilian needs, which could be affected by reductions in funding unrelated to the conduct of elections.
The EU has consistently presented a functioning Palestinian administration as a necessary component of its support for a negotiated two-state settlement.
Its position depends on the existence of institutions capable of representing Palestinians, administering public services, exercising legitimate authority and negotiating internationally.
A prolonged absence of elections complicates that objective, particularly when Palestinian political factions remain divided over leadership and the future organisation of government.
The dispute also affects European discussions concerning Gaza’s reconstruction and its relationship with the West Bank.
Brussels has supported the eventual reunification of Palestinian governance under a reformed administration, but such arrangements face difficulties if the authority expected to assume responsibility lacks a renewed electoral mandate.
In its latest statement, the EU reiterated its willingness to support an eventual election process, including the deployment of an EU Election Observation Mission.
Such missions can provide independent assessments of electoral procedures, but their deployment depends on the necessary political arrangements, security conditions and access.
The European Union’s position now presents Abbas with a specific political demand: to establish conditions under which Palestinian voters can elect both a president and a legislature, rather than allowing temporary postponements to become a permanent substitute for elections.
For Brussels, the immediate question is how to pursue that demand while maintaining assistance to Palestinian institutions and civilians and supporting a diplomatic settlement.
The next test will be whether the Palestinian Authority produces a credible electoral timetable and the administrative arrangements needed to hold the postponed votes in September 2027.
Palestine’s long-awaited legislative elections have once again been postponed. The polls that were scheduled for November 28, have been pushed for one year, according to reports, through an agreement between Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas.
According to the report, the postponement aims to give time to rebuild the Palestinian political system in a way that allows all components to take part.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Friday, October 9 that Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh informed France that the elections will be delayed possibly until September 2027, citing the deteriorating conditions throughout the occupied Palestinian territories as a reason.
On Saturday, October 10, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree, setting September 11, 2027 for simultaneous presidential and legislative elections.
The reactions of Palestinian factions varied. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad welcomed the decision due to immense infrastructural, logistical, and political hurdles in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, which make the voting process impossible.
However, the Democratic Reform Current led by Mohammed Dahlan criticized it as “a crime against democracy”, accusing the PA’s leadership of monopolizing national institutions.
The move came amid the continuation of Israel’s genocidal aggression on Gaza, and its refusal to proceed to phase two of the US-brokered ceasefire deal.
In tandem, the Israeli forces and illegal settlers have escalated their attacks on Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, mainly focusing on the central governorate of Ramallah and Al-Bireh in the last couple of weeks.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has designated Ramallah and Al-Bireh as a de facto administrative capital since its establishment in 1994, following the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Therefore, many believe that destabilizing the governorate reveals Israel’s plans to further sideline the PA and undermine its power in a bid to ultimately dismantle it.
In late September, media reports surfaced indicating the Israeli government’s intention to reopen a route in the governorate for settler traffic, dividing its northern and southern halves.
The two weeks that followed saw a spiral in settler violence and raids carried out by the Israeli forces across Ramallah and Al-Bireh.
Friday, October 9, saw a notable increase in Israeli assaults across different parts of the governorate, coinciding with the onset of the olive harvest season.
A video circulated from Yabrud village east of Ramallah, showing a group of Israeli colonists attacking a Palestinian man and his son in their car. The settlers stole the vehicle after the man and his son ran away to survive.
Simultaneously, dozens of settlers stormed the northern town of Surda, wandering in its streets in an attempt to terrorize its people. They also destroyed the memorial of Muhannad Al-Halabi, one of the town’s martyrs.
Escorted by Israeli soldiers, settlers attacked international activists, who were protecting Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest in the town of Deir Ibzi, west of Ramallah. They also verbally abused journalists on site and tried to prevent them from covering the offensive.
On Friday evening, the Israeli army stormed Al-Bireh city, firing live ammunition and stun grenades, according to local media outlets.
Over the weekend and through Monday, October 12, settler attacks as well as military raids carried out by Israeli forces continued to take place in different parts of the governorate. The colonists also released a new video encouraging each other to continue storming Ramallah, and even the neighborhood where the Palestinian President resides in Al-Bireh city:
“You too can reach a point close to the house of Mahmoud Abbas and Ramallah,” the caption on the video noted.
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