Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s visit to Moscow, planned for January 15, has been postponed indefinitely, PA Ambassador to Russia Abdel Hafiz Nofal told TASS on Thursday.
“The visit scheduled for January 15 will not take place. It is still planned, but its exact date is unknown,” Nofal said.
The diplomat added that the visit could take place when the situation in the disputed territories was more favorable.
According to TASS, “the restoration of inter-Palestinian unity was expected to top the agenda of the talks in Moscow.”
Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo in 2017. The two factions agreed that the National Accord Government would assume all powers over all the PA territories. The transfer of control over the Rafah Border Crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip to the government in Ramallah was due to take place as well.
Later on, the factions held a few more rounds of talks in Cairo on forming the new government, organizing the elections, reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization and deploying the PA forces in Gaza. But the reconciliation process has since stalled because of constantly emerging disputes.
On Wednesday Haniyeh, accompanied by a senior Hamas delegation, visited the Orthodox Church in Gaza to congratulate the Orthodox Christians on the New Year. Haniyeh stressed that “Muslims and Christians in Palestine maintain rock-solid relations.”
But, apparently, not enough to secure a visit to visit Putin.