Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, January 23, 2020
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, January 23, 2020
Meeting Putin, Abbas thanks him for supporting Palestinians
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bethlehem a short time ago and thanked him for supporting the Palestinians.
“I welcome Vladimir Putin, a dear friend,” he said. “He never misses any opportunity to talk about the Palestinian cause or support and aid it… We thank the president for supporting us politically, economically and in terms of security.”
Abbas also said that he and Putin needed to discuss “Israel’s announcement of annexing the Palestinian lands.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 23, 2020. (Alexander NEMENOV / various sources / AFP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to apply sovereignty over the Jordan Valley as well as every settlement in the West Bank “without exception.”
