A Palestinian official on Saturday said that Russia has proposal to hold a meeting between the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Moscow.
Member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Executive Committee Ahmad Majdalani said in statements to Anadolu Agency that the proposal is not final but Abbas is still invited to visit Moscow next month.
“However” Majdalani added “We prefer that our Russian friends call for an international peace process.”
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said in earlier statements that Abbas is ready to meet Netanyahu in Russia.
In a press conference held in New York Lavrov said “After viewing the interests of Israelis and Palestinians we proposed that Abbas and Netanyahu meet in Russia without preconditions. This initiative is still in place.”
Majdalani ruled out Netanyahu agreeing to attend the meeting because he rejected a similar meeting in Moscow two years ago.
The Palestinian official continued “Netanyahu has nothing to offer. All he wants is the US support that provides him with the political cover to continue the occupation and settlement.”
The Palestinian ambassador to Russia Abdulhafiz Nawfal on Tuesday revealed that Abbas is scheduled to go on an important visit to Moscow in February to discuss accelerating the launch of a new peace initiative.
