Russia to offer Abbas helicopters, armored vehicles

Russia will offer Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas two Russian-made commercial helicopters and 50 armored vehicles, a senior Palestinian official said Wednesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Russian offer will be announced during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Palestinian territories on Friday.

The official said the two helicopters will be used by Abbas to move between Gaza and the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Russia donated two helicopters to the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat after the Oslo Accords was signed in 1993, but they were destroyed by Israel in 2002.

During his visit, Putin will place a wreath on Arafat's tomb at the headquarters of the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah. Arafat died on November 11, 2004 in a French hospital at the age of75.

Source: Xinhua