Palestine Seeks Invitation to BRICS Summit Amid Regional Tensions

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced plans to attend the BRICS summit in Russia under the 'outreach' format. This follows discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Amid rising tensions in West Asia, Abbas expressed concerns over potential Iranian retaliation following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced that Palestine is seeking an invitation to the upcoming BRICS summit in Russia in the 'outreach' format. The announcement came after Abbas met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The two leaders discussed bilateral ties, with Abbas highlighting that all BRICS member countries—Brazil, India, China, Russia, and South Africa, along with new members Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates—share friendly relations with Palestine. "It will all be as relevant as possible, considering the fact that the countries of this association are all friendly to Palestine," Abbas stated.

Abbas suggested that a specific meeting format could be organized to focus exclusively on Palestine, allowing members to voice their views on regional developments. Russia took over the BRICS presidency on January 1, 2024, and the key summit will be held in Kazan in October 2024.

BRICS, originally formed in 2006, has expanded in two phases, with South Africa joining in 2011, and five new members—Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Ethiopia—joining on January 1, 2024. Abbas confirmed that he and Putin covered all matters of concern, noting their nearly two-hour discussion.

In a related development, Abbas spoke about the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and potential Iranian retaliation against Israel. He stated that while the timing of Iran's response remains uncertain, he hopes the situation does not escalate further.

Tensions in West Asia have been high since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli settlements from Gaza, resulting in fatalities and hostages. Israel subsequently initiated a military operation in Gaza. The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh and the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr have heightened the threat of retaliation from Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah against Israel.

(With inputs from agencies.)