Qatari emir to visit Gaza Strip

Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani will hold a visit to the Gaza Strip on August 9 in the first visit by an official from the Gulf states to the Palestinian self-rule areas.

In a statement to reporters in Doha a high-ranking Qatari official said Sheikh Hamad's visit to Gaza falls in the course of a tour which will take him to Lebanon, Algeria and Morocco. The Qatari official indicated that Sheikh Hamad will meet with Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.

For its part, the Palestinian Authority in Gaza said on Monday that Sheikh Hamad will visit the Gaza Strip on Sunday and will meet with Arafat in order to discuss the Middle East peace process and the Palestinian - Israeli negotiations concerning implementation of the Wye Plantation agreement.