Global Geopolitical Series: PA offers Netanyahu to participate in ‘Peace talks’ under Russian supervision

After Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, which was created more than two decades ago as a part of the Oslo Accord met with Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation in Moscow, the foreign minister of the PA signaled that they are ready to sit down for peace talks but under Russian supervision.

After President Trump of the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel back in December, PA leaders rejected the United States as a sole mediator in the peace process and refused to sit down for talks, leading to Trump administration cutting down aid to United Nations’ refugee organization for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). However, that has so far failed to bring back the PA leaders to the negotiating table. After meeting with Putin, President Abbas once again rejected to accept the U.S. as the only mediator, instead called on Russia to play a greater role and called to make the talks multilateral with other nations participating along with the United States.

This is the first time PA leaders indicated readiness to sit down for peace talks. The foreign minister was quoted saying to reporters, “Absolutely, we are ready for direct talks through a third party, of course……We don’t think a 15-minute meeting in Jerusalem would help us….coming to Sochi or Moscow would be a good decision, if Netanyahu is willing to….. The flight is no longer than three hours, and Netanyahu would enjoy hospitality of Putin and the Russian people”.

The foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki was hinting at direct talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and PA President Mahmoud Abbas.