Syria has postponed a visit to Damascus by Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that was due to begin Monday evening. A PA official told Agence France Presse on condition of anonymity that the postponement came because of a "surprise" visit to the Syrian capital by Saudi King Abdullah.

A report on Al-Jazeera television had said earlier that the trip was postponed in protest over the PA delegation's not pressing the United Nations Human Rights Council for an immediate vote last week on a report that criticized Israel and - to a lesser extent - Hamas on Israel's Operation Cast Lead in Gaza last winter.