Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-anticipated visit to Israel, Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas has played the gift diplomacy. Abbas has presented a mosaic and an artwork to PM Modi with his name written in Arabic, according to Indian Express report. “Invaluable gift of a warm friendhip,” MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay had tweeted. PM Modi’s proposed visit to Israel assumes significance as it would be the first such tour by an Indian Premier. But this gift diplomacy also signals that Palestine wants a plausible closer ties with India.

Her guests include Chinese ambassador Cui Tiankai, who has called Bao Bao Washington’s other Chinese ambassador, acknowledging a longstanding practice of “panda diplomacy” where China would gift or loan pandas as a message of cute goodwill between two countries.