DUBLIN: Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin is visiting Egypt, Israel and the West Bank this week to support the Gaza Strip ceasefire and wider Middle East peacemaking work.

Martin’s office announced details Tuesday of his three-day trip – his first to the Middle East since he became foreign minister in a Cabinet shakeup last month.

He is scheduled to meet Egyptian leaders and the Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, on Wednesday in Cairo.

On Thursday, he meets Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. On Friday, he visits the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem.

Martin says he hopes to “discuss openly the prospects for peace at a difficult time, building on the ceasefire in Gaza. -AP