2018-Aug-16 Russia

                In December, Russia presented itself as a possible broker between Hamas and Fatah. On 21 December, the Russian deputy prime minister announced in a press statement that Hamas had accepted a meeting with Fatah leaders in Moscow. The press statement was released on the same day that Palestinian Authority foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a press conference with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov that he welcomed Russia’s effort to mediate between the parties. The Egyptian mediation between Fatah and Hamas has been stalled since June (see Intra-Palestinian Dynamics). The Russian effort at mediation between the parties is expected to start in 2019.