Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, began a three-day visit to Syria, for talks with Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, about the Palestinian situation and the future of negotiations with Israel.
Al-Assad discussed the Middle East peace process and efforts to reconcile Palestinian factions with Abbas.
The visit from the Palestinian president is significant because it highlights Syria’s role as peacemaker in the Middle East.
Syria backs Hamas but has promised to help push for dialogue between the two sides.
As Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall reports, the visit is an indication of how Syria’s role in the Middle East appears to be changing.
