Abbas meets Mandela

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas met Nelson Mandela at his Johannesburg home on Saturday as he wound up a three-day state visit to South Africa. Abbas paid tribute to the statesman, calling him the father of all liberation movements. News24 reports that Abbas said South Africa, which enjoys good relations with the Palestinians, Israel and the United States, could play a productive role in the peace process. Abbas met with President Thabo Mbeki and delivered a speech to Parliament on Friday. Mbeki said South Africans felt solidarity with the Palestinian people.