^{File photograph: Abbas meets Rajapaksa in 2014}

The State of Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas sent his congratulations to Sri Lanka’s war crimes accused Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last week, after elections left his Sinhala nationalist party with a super-majority in parliament.

Abbas praised Rajapaksa’s victory, stating “it is our great pleasure to send to you and to the friendly Sri Lankan people, on behalf of the State of Palestine, its people and on my own behalf, our greetings and heartfelt congratulations for your impending appointment as Prime Minister for the new Government, after the remarkable success at the General Election”.

“On this great occasion, we express our immense pride regarding the historical relations existing between our peoples and countries, seeking for developing and strengthening it for the benefit and mutual interest of our two countries,” he continued.

“Please accept our best wishes for your health, happiness and success, and for Sri Lanka and its people to achieve all the goals you seek.”

Abbas’ statement comes after Sri Lanka slammed plans by Israel to annex parts of the occupied West Bank in a statement delivered to the UN Human Rights Council this week, even as Colombo continues with its own Sinhalisation of the Tamil North-East.

Rajapaksa, who oversaw the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamil civilians as Sri Lankan president in 2009, has previously been lauded by Abbas for “achieving peace and stability in the country” during a 2012 visit to the island. In 2014, Rajapaksa visited Palestine, where he was awarded the ‘Star of Palestine’, the highest honour award by the Palestinian state. A road in Ramallah was also named after the accused war criminal in 2007.

See more on Sri Lanka and its relationship with Palestine here.