Medvedev Visits PA, not Israel

After he had to cancel his planned visit to Israel because of the Israeli diplomatic strike, Russian President visits the Arab entity.

Gil Ronen

Published: Jan 17, 2011, 10:22 PM (GMT+2)

Updated: 10:17 PM

Dmitry Medvedev

Highlighting the severe diplomatic damage caused by the ongoing strike in the Foreign Ministry, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev will visit the Palestinian Authority Tuesday morning after canceling his visit to Israel.

Medvedev called off his planned visit to Jerusalem when the Israeli diplomats' strike made it impossible to make preparations for the tour.

PA crossings officials said Sunday that the Allenby Bridge over the Jordan River would close Tuesday in both directions between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., due to the visit.

Medvedev is expected to inaugurate the Jericho Museum, built by Russia on lands donated for the project by the Orthodox Church in 2008.

PA Bethlehem-based news agency Ma'an crowed Monday that the cancellation of Medvedev's visit to Israel was viewed as "a huge embarrassment to Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who was born in the former Soviet Union."