Azerbaijan, Baku, August 5 / Trend U. Sadikhova /
Head of the Palestinian Administration Mahmoud Abbas's statements that military resistance of the Palestine Liberation Organization is a matter of choice, will not lead to significant changes in the peace process.
On Tuesday during the sixth conference of the Palestine Liberation Organization, held with an interval of 20 years after the previous one, head of the Palestinian Administration, Abbas, said that Palestinians have right to military resistance, but military actions against Israel may not be major work of Fatah, Al Jazeera TV channel said.
"We want to establish a democratic Palestinian state where all will have equal rights, and we want Israel to recognize it," Abbas said at the inauguration of the conference.
Abbas said that necessity in military resistance can occur in case of failure of peace talks with Israel.
However, main topic of discussions at the sixth conference of Fatah, will be establishment of a new platform designed to improve work of the movement. Roughly 2,000 delegates arrived to this conference.
The main change occured at the conference can be refusal from call for armed struggle against Israel as one of the principles of the Palestinian movement.
Palestinian officials have reported that this item will not be excluded from the documents if the talks with Israel fail.
Moreover, Fatah intends to launch a new form of resistance against Israel - an act of civil disobedience, especially, against expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a precondition for continuation of negotiations with the Israelis.
Nicola Pratt, Professor of the International Politics of the Middle East of University of Warwick, said that Abbas's statements are a way to demonstrate adherence to armed struggle as an option towards establishment of a Palestinian state.
"One reason is to boost its authority among the Palestinian electorate who is largely disappointed with peace process because of the lack of progress for the Palestinians," Pratt told Trend via E-mail.
The second reason is to maintain authority of Fatah as a serious participant in a peace process with Israel.
"Israel basically holds all the cards. Therefore, the prospect of an armed response to Israel provides some leverage to the Palestinians in their negotiations with the Israelis," Pratt said.
Abbas' statements were made amid Barack Obama's announcement about new plan on armistice in the Middle East within nearest weeks.
Experts do not observe great changes in peace process after Abbas's statement about possible refusal from the principle of military resistance to Israel.
These statements were made to delegates of Fatah conference to create a balance between the position of Fatah in negotiations with Israel and activity of other participants of resistance, George Rishmawi, head of the international information center for the Middle East (IMEMC).
"Statements were made for local policy, but I do not think this is a wide way to put issues of the international level with local problems," Rishmawi told Trend over phone from Bethlehem. Israel, however, may take advantage of these statements in contrast to Fatah, he said.
Despite Fatah offers to sign armistice agreement through peaceful dialogue, the Israeli government has repeatedly accused the Palestinian Administration of insufficient control over activity of militarized groups in the West Bank.
Hamas controlling the Gaza strip, being the second party on its authority and scale, refuses from lay down arms in the struggle against occupation of Palestinian territories. Though after Israeli military operation "Cast lead" against rocket attacks, Palestinian movement became silent for a while, its members state about readiness for armed resistance to Israel.
Rishmawi said that Abbas's statements will not lead to changes in Hamas position concerning military resistance to Israel.
I do not know how serious will Hamas take this statement. But Hamas tries not to destabilize situation," Rishmawi said.
Regarding contradictions between Fatah and Hamas, Rishmawi said that disputes can only increase, especially after Hamas did not allow Fatah members to leave for Bethlehem to the conference.
Palestinian President Abbas accused Hamas of undermining national dialogue, held under great support and patience of Egypt.
But Orit Gal, expert on Middle East of Chatham House, home of the Royal Institute ofInternational Affairs, said that Abbas's statements will not have negative impact as he is willing to clear difference between right to resist and military actions.
"Abbas' statements are more constructive. I think that it is a part of partners' preparation (Palestinians and Israelis). Each side prepares its own public for negotiations process which obviously Barack Obama is going to push for,"Gal told Trend over phone.
During last visit to the region, U.S special envoy in the Middle East, George Mitchell said that Washington is working towards a comprehensive peace between Palestinians and Israel. Main goal of this work is to establish independent Palestinian state and ensure security of Israel.
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