The head of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has expressed readiness to continue the return of property to the Russian Orthodox Church.
"We believe that everything that used to belong to the Russian Orthodox Church in Palestinian territories should be returned to it. Our courts are now handling one or two cases. I am sure they will be decided in favor of the Russian Church," he said at a Saturday meeting with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia in Moscow.
He also said that the situation in Palestine promotes pilgrimages - by now the number of pilgrims has reached 250,000 a year.
"And we would want it to grow to one million next year," he added.
He spoke for developing ties with Russia, noting that the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society marking its 130 anniversary this year is making a special contribution to the process.