One of the key developments in a new administration comes when people come to understand who the key power players and influencers are in that administration. Who has the President’s ear? Who can get things done?

With that in mind, the Palestinian political leadership is making every effort to get President-Elect Trump to reconsider his plan to move the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. To achieve this critical goal they have reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence over Trump to rescind the decision.

According to reports in the Israeli press and publications in various Arab countries, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sent his plea to President Putin via chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. Erekat conveyed the message during his visit to Moscow to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“I came with an urgent message from Mahmoud Abbas. We request that President Putin use all the tools at his disposal to prevent Trump from relocating the embassy, because, for us, this is crossing a red line,” said Erekat.

Commenting later after meeting with Lavrov, Erekat told reporters: “The letter asks President Putin to do what he can about the information we have that President-elect Donald Trump will move the embassy to Jerusalem, which for us is a red line and dangerous.”