IRELAND IS SET to welcome Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas next weekend, as he visits accompanied by a high-level delegation. 

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney extended the invitation to Abbas when they met in Ramallah in January. 

Abbas will be stopping over in Ireland ahead of travelling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He will visit President Michael D Higgins for a “courtesy call” before a formal meeting and working dinner with Coveney in Farmleigh.

“Among the topics expected to be discussed are the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and the West Bank; the funding crisis for UNRWA, the UN agency providing food, education and health services in Gaza; and the future of the Middle East Peace Process,” the department of foreign affairs said in a statement.

Writing in TheJournal.ie in January, Coveney said that he had met with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Abbas, and had committed Ireland to funding and supporting new projects focused on improving quality of life in Gaza.

“I hope both leaders will lead their people into fresh peace talks leading to a long overdue two-state solution with Jerusalem as a shared capital,” he said.