Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next week in the southern resort city of Sochi to discuss a possible change in the format for peace talks, according to the Interfax news agency.
Palestinian Authority envoy to Moscow, Abdel Hafix Nofal said there might be a new plan in the works to replace the Quartet of Nations – Russia, the United States, the United Nations and the European Union – that has until now worked together on negotiation policy in the Middle East.
The news comes as Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Dr. Rami Hamdallah announced a decision approved at Wednesday’s meeting of the government cabinet to begin preparing plans to “disengage” from Israel.
In addition, the Cabinet approved the first reading of the general budget for the 2018 fiscal year, and called on the international community to assist in the implementation of several “vital” projects in Gaza.
Hamdallah said in a tweet that the Cabinet expressed its thanks for the European Union’s commitment to providing 42.4 million euros of new aid to the government of the Palestinian Authority as well.
Meanwhile, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive by helicopter from Jordan in the Palestinian Authority capital of Ramallah this Saturday.
It’s the first time a prime minister of India will visit the Palestinian Authority.
Bilateral agreements are expected to be signed to “strengthen the friendship between the Palestinian and Indian people and cooperation in important fields,” according to the official WAFA news agency.