Palestinian president to visit Russia on Monday
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Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will visit Moscow next week to discuss the Israeli war on Gaza.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks after a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah on January 22, 2020. (AP)
The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is set to visit Moscow next week to discuss the Gaza war with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a Palestinian envoy.
Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported that the Palestinian ambassador in Moscow announced Abbas will arrive on Monday and meet with Putin on Tuesday.
Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal stated that the two leaders will discuss the situation in Gaza following the outbreak of the Israeli war on Gaza.
"They will talk about Russia's role and what actions can be taken," he said, noting "We are facing a very difficult situation, and Russia is a country that is close to us. We need to consult with each other."
This visit comes in light of several Russian statements calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Earlier last month, the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, called on the United States to demand that the Israeli occupation lift its blockade on Gaza and allow significant volumes of humanitarian aid to enter the war-stricken strip.
During a UN Security Council meeting on Gaza, Nebenzia emphasized that Washington should prioritize lifting the blockade over constructing a pier for aid deliveries.
"Instead of building the pier, Washington could have demanded that Israel lift the blockade on Gaza and allow the entry of truly substantial aid volumes," Nebenzia said.
