Palestinian president arrives in Saudi Arabia for talks

RAMALLAH, Palestine

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for talks with Saudi officials.

The Palestinian leader was welcomed upon his arrival in Jeddah by the governor of Mecca, Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

According to the state news agency Wafa, Abbas will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday to discuss Palestinian and regional developments.

The visit comes amid reports about a possible visit by Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh to the oil-rich kingdom, the first such visit in years.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia hosted a ministerial meeting of Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates during which participants strongly condemned Israeli assaults on worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and measures that undermine efforts for a two-state solution.

Tensions escalated across the Palestinian territories earlier this month after Israeli forces removed worshippers by force from inside the Al-Aqsa complex in East Jerusalem.

The Israeli raids on the mosque triggered rocket fire from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, with Israel retaliating with air and artillery shelling.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar