OIC chief Ihsanoglu visits Ramallah

Secretary General of Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu came together with Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas regarding resumed Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. After Ihsanoglu visited the grave of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, he met with Abbas for discussing the resumed Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Abbas decorated Ihsanoglu with "Jerusalem Medal" thanks to his support to Palestine for gaining non-member observer status in the United Nations. During his two-day visit, Ihsanoglu will come together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Al Malki, and visit Al-Aqsa Mosque. Peace talks between Israel and Palestine, which were stalled for nearly 3 years, have been resumed in last June through US mediation. The General Assembly voted on November 29, 2012 to grant Palestine non-member observer state status at the United Nations, while expressing the urgent need for the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine leading to a permanent two-state solution.