Greece poised to recognise Palestinian state

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is expected to be in attendance on Tuesday as Greek parliamentarians decide whether to recognise a Palestinian state.

A government source told AFP that the vote is expected to pass with Greece joining nearly 200 UN-member state countries that accord recognition to Palestine.

Abbas reportedly arrived in Athens on Sunday ahead of the vote to meet with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.

Last week, the Greek parliament's foreign affairs committee unanimously approved a motion to recognise Palestine.

Tsipras travelled to Israel last month when he met with both Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Palestine's flag was hoisted for the first time at UN headquarters in New York on 30 September in a symbolic gesture.

Abbas then took to the podium to call for universal recognition of Palestine.