TEL AVIV (Sputnik) — On Wednesday, European Parliament President Martin Schulz pledged to arrange Rivlin and Abbas getting together during their stay in Brussels. Rivlin agreed to the meeting.
"President Rivlin and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet in Brussels after Abbas declined European initiative to arrange their meeting," Jason Pearlman told RIA Novosti.
Relations between Israel and Palestine have been strained for decades, as Palestinians have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.
