By Qais Abu Samra
RAMALLAH
Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas held talks on Wednesday with the chairman of Israel's opposition Labor Party, Isaac Herzog, on the Middle East peace process.
During the meeting, Abbas said that recent Palestinian activity at the United Nations aimed to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and reinforce the notion of two states living side by side in peace and security, according to the official Wafa news agency.
Herzog, for his part, said that most Israelis supported the two-state solution, despite attempts by Israel's right-wing to sway Israeli public opinion.
He said the Labor Party would work to enhance the "forces of peace" that support the two-state solution against the Israeli right-wing in the upcoming election in order to help give peace a chance.
The Israeli opposition leader went on to call for "more cooperation" between Israeli and Palestinian "forces of peace" with a view to kick-starting the moribund peace process.
Last week, Abbas said he would go to the U.N. to "seek international protection" for the Palestinian people.
Peace talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators collapsed in April over Israel's refusal to release a fourth batch of Palestinian prisoners despite earlier pledges to do so.
Abbas retaliated by formally applying for Palestinian membership in 15 U.N. conventions and agencies.
Israel has since announced a raft of punitive measures to be taken against the Palestinians after Abbas' Fatah movement signed a reconciliation deal this summer with Palestinian resistance faction Hamas.
www.aa.com.tr/en
