RAMALLAH, May 10, 2012 (WAFA) – President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday called on the United Nations to exert more effort to save the life of striking prisoners, particularly those who face imminent death due to the long hunger strike.

Abbas told UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry during their meeting in Ramallah that the Palestinian leadership is doing all it can to help the prisoners achieve their just demands.

In a statement issued by his office, Serry said that he “reiterated the concern of the United Nations, as expressed by the Secretary-General.”

He said that Abbas and he “agreed on the urgency of resolving this issue immediately.”

“Issues of shared interest, including the need for meaningful peace talks, the internal Palestinian situation, and particularly the situation on the ground,” were the subjects discussed in the meeting, said Serry in his statement, but the focus of the meeting was on the issue of the prisoners.

M.S.