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India rejects Palestinian Authority invitation

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected an invitation to visit the Palestinian Authority during his upcoming visit to Israel, breaking protocol for heads of state visiting the Holy Land.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rejected an invitation to visit the Palestinian Authority (PA) during his upcoming visit to Israel.

Heads of state visiting Israel generally meet with PA officials in their Ramallah headquarters, located in the Muqataa. Some leaders meet in Bethlehem to avoid the appearance of paying respect to arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat when passing his grave, which is also in the Muqataa.

Completely refusing to meet with PA officials is rare since Israel officially recognized the Palestinian Authority as the representative of the Palestinian people in 1993. The recognition followed the 1991 Madrid Conference and the PA’s subsequent pledge to reject “violence and terrorism.”

Modi is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin during his upcoming visit to Israel. The relationship between Netanyahu and Modi is reported to be particularly good and Modi’s government has taken an increasingly pro-Israel stance during United Nations votes.

Eli Stein, World Israel News