Politics
President of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Mahmud Abbas is to meet on Friday in Caracas with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.

Sources of the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Caracas told Efe that Abbas, 74, will arrive on Thursday at the very last hour in Venezuela. On Friday, his official agenda will start with a meeting with President Chávez, who has repeatedly expressed his support to the Palestinian cause.

The Venezuelan government evicted the Israeli diplomatic mission last January after denouncing the "massacre" perpetrated by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead, resulting in a death toll of more than 1,400 people, most of them civilians.

Some weeks later, Israel expelled in reciprocity the Venezuelan diplomats accredited to Tel Aviv, as well as the diplomatic representation of Venezuela to the PNA.