Abbas meets Putin in Moscow to discuss Middle East crisis

 

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (right) meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the
Novo-Ogaryovo presidential residence in Moscow on August 13, 2024. Photo: VCG

Abbas meets Putin in Moscow to discuss Middle East crisis

By Wang Qi  Published: Aug 13, 2024        

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, discussing the situation in the Middle East and Russia's role in de-escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Analysts said Abbas' visit is to discuss the ongoing Gaza crisis and the intensifying spillovers, especially the conflict between Iran and Israel, while on the other hand, Russia's impact on Hamas may be constructive to strengthen the unity of Palestinian factions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized on Tuesday that Russia remains attentive to developments in Palestine despite the ongoing conflict with Ukraine, media reported.

"Of course, we are watching with great pain and anxiety the humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Palestine. For our part, we are doing everything to support the Palestinian people," Putin said in a meeting with Abbas.

Putin reaffirmed Russia's commitment to a peaceful resolution.

"We believe that lasting, stable peace in the region requires full implementation of all United Nations resolutions, particularly for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state," he said.

Moreover, the Russian president added that they have sent tons of cargo of various kinds. 

Abbas expressed appreciation for the longstanding Russian-Palestinian cooperation, saying that his nation has benefited from Russia's support over the decades.

"Due to US pressure, the UN was unable to fulfill its mission of providing a solution or adopting a resolution that would secure the rights of the Palestinian people," said Abbas, Anadolu news agency reported. 

The meeting between Abbas and Putin came amid concerns over the aggravation of the conflict following Israeli's assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran on July 31. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps on Sunday reiterated Iran's determination to retaliate against Israel, while the Israeli side vowed it would attack preemptively before Iran's promised action. 

According to Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has become more complex, as it involves multiple levels of conflicts, not just between Israel and Hamas, but also between the Israel-US camp and Iran-Iranian backed resistance forces. 

Liu said the Abbas' visit to Russia was designed to garner more diplomatic support for Fatah, but the core concern of his visit is likely to be the conflict between Iran and Israel.

Abbas previously said the purpose of Haniyeh's assassination is to "prolong the war and expand its scope," which has a "negative impact on the ongoing negotiations to end the aggression and withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza," Al Jazeera reported. 

On August 5, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with the visiting Secretary of Russia's Security Council Sergei Shoigu in Tehran. During the conversation, the Iranian president said that Iran in no way sought to widen the scope of the conflict and crisis in the West Asia region, but that Israel would definitely receive a response to its "crime and insolent" move.

"If the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies, or even triggers a large-scale conflict, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will become more complicated and more difficult to solve," Liu said, noting that Abbas is hoping that Russia could wield its influence on Iran to cool the current situation.

On the other hand, Liu said Abbas may also be seeking Russia's help in boosting unity within different factions in Palestine⍐.