March 4, 2013

(JTA) — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will meet in Saudi Arabia.

A last-minute meeting between Kerry and Abbas was scheduled for Monday afternoon in Riyadh, according to the WAFA Palestinian news agency, citing the PA ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Jamal Shoubaki.

Kerry is on his first foreign trip as secretary of state.  The Feb. 24-March 6 trip includes visits to Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

Kerry originally had planned to visit Israel and the Palestinian Authority on this foreign trip, but cancelled the visit and instead is scheduled to accompany President Obama on his visit later this month. 

Abbas and Kerry will discuss the PA’s requirements to restart peace negotiations with Israel, Shoubaki told Voice of Palestine radio, according to WAFA. 

The meeting was conceived last week when Palestinian negotiators Saeb Erekat and Muhammad Shtayyeh met in Washington with Kerry and other Obama administration officials, according to WAFA. 

Abbas reportedly arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday night and planned to meet with that country’s top officials. 

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