Palestinian Pres. ready to work with new UK gov’t to achieve peace

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed on Sunday his readiness to work with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer, for making peace through the implementation of the two-state solution. During a phone call between the two leaders, the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that President Abbas urged UK to recognize the State of Palestine. He voiced faith in the new UK government and its efforts to bolster the friendly ties between the two nations. President Abbas briefed the UK's PM on the latest developments on the Palestinian lands including Gaza, highlighting the importance of an immediate intervention from the international community to reach a ceasefire and allow aid to enter the besieged Gaza Strip, and to release the Palestinian funds currently held by Israel. WAFA also said that Starmer reiterated his county's support of an immediate ceasefire. Starmer stressed the importance of the Palestinian government's reform program and his readiness to work it, pointing to the up coming visit of the UK Secretary of State David Lammy to Palestine where he is set to resume political discussions and reinforce bilateral ties. Source: Kuwait News Agency