Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas Gaza – Mohammed Habib The Palestinian Authority minister of foreign affairs, Riad Al-Maliki, stated that the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, will make an official visit to England, Germany and Russia on January 13 to discuss the peace process developments between Israel and Palestine.
Al Maliki said that Abbas will start his tour on January 13, and the trip's purpose is to discuss the peace process developments, as well as the Palestinian membership of the United Nations, according to the Voice of Palestine Radio.
Meanwhile, Al-Maliki pointed out that Abbas declined an invitation to visit Tunisia to join the celebrations of the first anniversary of the Tunisian revolution because of other commitments, adding that Abbas sent a message to the Tunisian president, Moncef al-Marzouqi, to that effect, and he also emphasized the close historical relationships between Palestine and Tunisia.
Whereas, Al-Maliki announced that he will visit Tunisia on behalf of Abbas to participate in the celebrations and to meet officials.
The Tunisian invitation came with the controversy raised over Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s Tunisian official reception without coordinating with the Palestinian Authority.
At the same context, political analysts agreed on the success of Haniyeh’s tour, in which he visited a number of Arab and Islamic countries, as it achieved its goals, foremost of which to break the political blockade on Hamas and Gaza after five years of blockade which prevented Hamas leaders to make such visits.
The political analyst in the Palestinian Affairs, Hassan Abdo believes that Hamas is seeking for Arab and International legitimacy, and this is the reason behind using the current changes in the Arab World, because of the Arab Spring revolutions to end Hamas political blockade by this tour.  
The best example of the success of Haniyeh’s tour is the official and popular reception in some countries, such as Tunisia and Sudan, pointing out to the lukewarm official reception in Egypt, which reveals that Ganzouri’s government doesn’t want to give international legitimacy to Hamas.
For his part, the political analyst Mkhaimar Abu Saada said that Haniyeh’s tour aims to support the Palestinian Cause, and return it to the political arena, after the Arab revolutions.
He also pointed out to the official and popular reception of Haniyeh in some countries that proved the success of the tour.
It’s worth mentioning that, Hamas spokesman, Taher Al-Nunu said in a press statement that Haniyeh’s tour to a number of Arab an Islamic countries was successful, and achieved its goals