Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas will visit Moscow next week to discuss the Gaza war with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a Palestinian envoy said.Russia's state-run TASS news agency cited the Palestinian ambassador in Moscow as saying Abbas will arrive on Monday and meet Putin on Tuesday.Abbas heads the Fatah Palestinian movement, a rival to Hamas.Ambassador Abdel Hafiz Nofal said the two leaders would discuss events in Gaza since the October 7 attacks on Israel. "They will talk about Russia's role, what can be done."He added: "We have a very difficult situation, and Russia is a country that is close to us. We need to consult each other."Moscow for years tried to balance relations with all major players in the Middle East -- including Israel and the Palestinians.But since the Israel-Hamas war and Russia's own offensive on Ukraine, Putin has moved closer to Israel's foes, Hamas and Iran.The Kremlin has repeatedly criticised Israel's response to the October 7 attacks and called for restraint.
August 11, 2024 | 01:41 PM