Pranab Mukherjee to visit Jordan, Palestine before Israel

NEW DELHI: Pranab Mukherjee who will be first Indian President to visit Israel is likely to undertake a six-seven day visit to the region beginning with Jordan followed by Palestine and finally Tel Aviv beginning October 9. In what could be seen as a delicate balancing in foreign policy juxtaposing its traditional ties with the Arab World and fast growing ties with Israel, Mukherjee will be in Amman, followed by Palestine and then Israel between October 9 and 15.

Incidentally Jordan is the only other Arab country besides Egypt to maintain full diplomatic ties with Israel. Meanwhile, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will also visit Israel, Jordan and Palestine this year but the dates have not yet been finalised, official sources said. There has not been top level visit from India to Jordan in many years. The last high level visit from Jordan to India was Prince El Hassan bin Talal in 2012. S M Krishna was the last Indian Foreign Minister to visit Amman also in 2012.