Abbas turns to Russia - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East
▻http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/09/abbas-visit-russia-support-conflict-israel-palestine.html
It is noteworthy that Abbas’ recent trip to Moscow was his third this year. He visited Russia in January and again in April to discuss bilateral relations, Russia’s involvement in negotiations with the Israelis and getting rid of US sponsorship of the negotiations. These visits inspire Palestinians to believe Russia will support them in the face of Israeli stubbornness.
However, some Palestinian officials expressed their concerns. One official told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that he does not believe Abbas’ visits will result in Russia fulfilling its promises to Palestinians. He noted that Russia is preoccupied with other foreign matters such as the Ukraine crisis, the Iranian nuclear deal and the Syrian crisis.
On Sept. 22, Russia and Israel reached an understanding about the Russian military presence in Syria, which may force Moscow to engage in political deals with Washington — which could come at the expense of Palestinians.
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