Abbas sends envoys to China, Russia to seek replacement for US in peace process

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sends delegations to China and Russia in the hopes of finding international sponsorship for the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

Senior PA official Ahmad Majdalani says “the two delegations will convey a message from President Abbas to Russia and China, the purpose of which is to find a new international sponsor for the peace process, in the framework of the United Nations, in order to replace the American sponsorship,” according to a report in the official PA news site Wafa.

Majdalani will be leading the delegation to China while Abbas’s foreign affairs aide Nabil Shaath will be leading the delegation to Russia.

Majdalani also denies a report by the Hebrew daily Haaretz that the Palestinian delegations plan to hold any talks with Israeli officials while in Russia or in China.

— Dov Lieber