GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Russian-Palestinian bilateral cooperation is progressing in the economic, trade and development fields. During the annual conference of the Palestinian-Russian Joint Committee held in Moscow Nov. 21-22, the two countries signed the largest ever package of new bilateral agreements between the public and private sectors of both countries in various fields, most notably economy and trade, industry, agriculture, information technology, energy, tourism, employment, education and investment.

The largest Palestinian delegation to ever head to Russia, including representatives of 10 ministries, met representatives of 10 Russian ministries while 25 Palestinian business people met with Russian counterparts to strike deals, Palestinian Ambassador to Moscow Abdul Hafeez Nofal told Al-Monitor. 

It was the fourth annual conference of the Palestinian-Russian Joint Committee, established in April 2015 by the Palestinian and Russian governments to improve economic and developmental cooperation between Palestine and Russia. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the two countries agreed on mutual recognition of various quality standards and certificates of conformity, signed memorandums of understanding in the fields of customs and tourism cooperation and reached understandings granting the PA Russia's political support in international institutions.

Palestinian National Economy Minister Khaled al-Asaily, who represented the Palestinian side in these agreements, said in a speech at the conference, “Our leadership and the Palestinian government face many financial and political challenges arising from the Israeli occupation supported by the US administration, which has become a partner to the occupation with all its illegal practices and policies, the latest of which was the US position on the legality of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.”