PM Narendra Modi to arrive in Palestine today, here's his schedule

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a four-day visit to three West Asian countries, will arrive in Palestine on Saturday. The Prime Minister will transit to Palestinian capital Ramallah in what will be the first ever Prime Ministerial visit from India to Palestine.

During his historic visit to Palestine, Modi will hold a meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He said he was looking forward to discussions with the Palestinian President and "reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people and the development of Palestine".

This will be the fourth meeting between Modi and Abbas after their meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in 2015 and at the Paris climate summit later that year and the Palestinian President's visit to India last year.

The visit will reaffirm India's foreign policy position that its relationship with one country is independent of its ties with a third country and will de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine after Modi's standalone visit to Israel in July last year.

The Palestinian President said that India under PM  Modi can play a major role in ending the conflict in the Middle East and establishing peace in the region.

President Abbas also said that he will discuss with PM Modi India's role in the Middle East peace process and the creation of a multilateral forum of negotiations to strike a final deal with Israel.

From Palestine, Modi will reach Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Sunday evening in what will be his second visit to the nation since his visit in August 2015.

Here's PM Modi's schedule for today:

10:10 am local time (1.30 pm IST) - PM Modi will arrive in Ramallah

10:15 am - Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Mausoleum of Late President Yasser Arafat and Tour of the Yasser Arafat Museum 

10:45 am - Ceremonial Guard of Honour 

11:00 am - Meeting with HE Mr Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine 

11:45 am - Working Lunch 

12:40 pm - Exchange of Agreements/ MOUs and Press Statements 

13:10 pm - Depart for Queen Alia International Airport Amman 

13:45 pm - Emplane for Abu Dhabi from Amman 

18:30 pm - Arrive Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport 

19:15 pm - One-to-One Meeting with HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of  Abu Dhabi  (Venue: Presidential Palace) 

20:05 pm - Signing / Exchange of Agreements 

20:30 pm - Banquet dinner hosted by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi