Cowen urges Israelis and Palestinians to exercise restraint

Foreign Affairs Minister Brian Cowen has called on the Israelis and Palestinians not to take actions that could undermine the so-called "road-map" to peace in the Middle East.

In a statement released today, Mr Cowen described the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas as a setback for the peace process, but he welcomed the nomination of parliament speaker Ahmed Qureia as Mr Abbas’ replacement.