Sushma Swaraj leaves for Palestine, Israel

New Delhi, Jan 15 External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left for Palestine and Israel to review bilateral relations, it was announced here.

"Into the heart of West Asia. @SushmaSwaraj leaves on her first visit as EAM to Palestine and Israel," external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Sushma Swaraj is being accompanied by Secretary (East) and other officials of the external affairs ministry.

This is her first visit to West Asia as external affairs minister.

The visit comes after the state visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Palestine in October last year.

On Sunday, Sushma Swaraj will meet the Palestinian leadership and review India-Palestinian relations.

Following this, the minister and her delegation will pay an official visit to Israel on January 17-18.

This is again her first visit to Israel as external affairs minister and comes after the state visit of President Mukherjee to Tel Aviv in October.

Sushma Swaraj will meet and interact with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Minister of National Infrastructure Yuval Steinitz and Israeli legislators.