Jerusalem – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to direct talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Russia, Interfax news agency cited the Palestinian embassy in Moscow as saying on Monday.
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Netanyahu’s office said earlier on Monday the prime minister was considering an offer by Russian President Vladimir Putin to host the talks between the Israeli leader and Abbas. The last Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014.
It said in a statement Netanyahu, at a meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, “presented Israel’s position whereby he is always ready to meet (Abbas) without preconditions and is therefore considering the Russian president’s proposal and the timing for a possible meeting”.
A spokesman for Abbas, who is on a visit to Europe, declined immediate comment.
With his eye on shifting big-power influence in the Middle East, Netanyahu has visited Russia for talks with Putin three times in the last year, and the two also speak on occasion by phone to discuss regional issues.
Why is the Israeli government always so stupid? The Arabs don’t want to have real peace because then they lose their victim status. w
Why go through this charade every few years?
Another exercise in futility!
All parties agree it’s futile but they’re doing it because they need it for political points.
Netanyahu has sidelined Obama and recognized that is Putin that has the ultimate influence. It looks like Netanyahu took a risk that is paying off.
I thought Russia is Israel’s enemy. they support Iran & Hezbollah. Its funny that Bibi does not think so.
What’s Palestine?