Clashes broke out on Sunday on the West Bank city of Hebron in the shooting of a woman from Palestine, aged 35, after she tried to stab Israeli soldier in the latest of a series of clashes between Palestinian residents and Israeli security forces. Frustrated after seeing a rise in death tolls of Palestinians killed by Israeli fire and a lack of progress in peace talks, a number of Palestinians are using kitchen knives to stage defacto suicide missions. Israel blames these attacks on incitement by political and religious leaders at a time when Greece is set to recognize the state of Palestine in a Parliamentary vote on Tuesday.
Last week, the foreign affairs committee of Greek Parliament unanimously approved a motion to recognize Palestine. In light of this, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas arrived on Sunday, ahead of a vote to recognize the state of Palestine on Tuesday.
He will meet with Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos on Monday at noon at the presidential mansion. At 2. 30 p.m. he will meet with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at Maximos Mansion, the government headquarters. A meeting between the two delegations will follow before Tsipras and Abbas make statements to the press.
Abbas will then lay a wreath at the monument of the Unknown Soldier in Athens. On Tuesday morning he will visit the Greek Parliament and meet with Parliamentary President Nikos Voutsis before addressing the Senate Hall of Greek Parliament.
A meeting between Abbas and Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Ieronymos has been scheduled at noon on Tuesday.
Last month, Tsipras traveled to Israel and met with both Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Abbas has called for universal recognition of Palestine.
