Israel, Jerusalem / corr Trend R.Mammadov / A conference on Near East resolution, scheduled to taker place in Annapolis at the end of November, is likely to be full of intrigues and dramatic effects, considers Shmuel Sandler, an Israeli specialist on the Arabic-Israeli conflict.
"It seems the participants or those having direct impact on the situation in the Near East, guide own interests, rather the concerns over the situation in the region," Sandler, a professor of the Bar-Ilan University of Israel, said in a telephone interview with Trend.
The peace conference on Near East in Annapolis is organized at Washington's initiative. Head of Israel and Palestine, as well as representatives from the countries and organization involved in the conflict resolution are also expected to participate in the event.
" Annapolis symbolizes international support to the peace process, true efforts taken for realizing an idea of co-resistance of the two nations of Israel and Palestine," Sandler considers.
" Israel has foreign policy and internal policy interests with regards to the conference in Annapolis. The foreign policy interests include strengthening the regime and power of the Chairman of Palestinian National Administration, Mahmoud Abbas, his capability to control State, resist against influence of HAMAS on Palestinian territories," the politician said.
"If Abbas turns out unsuccessful to achieve victory at the conference, he cannot manage over the autonomy (where the authorities are restricted with the territory of the west coast), but also lose the confidence of FATAH members. Abbas has not prepared an obvious heir and his leaving might instigate internal conflicts within FATAH's leadership, strengthening HAMAS, and enable the Islamists to impose its influence on all territories of the autonomy," he said.
On the other hand, Sandler assures that the future of Ehud Olmert, the present Israeli Prime Minister, also depends on the success of the international conference on the settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Olmert will succeed to preserve the ruling coalition unless he yields the pressures and resist the premature agreements on key issues, such as borders, Palestinian refugees and status of Jerusalem, Professor Sandler says. "From this point-of-view, the political weakness of Mahmoud Abbas and Olmert predefines the future fiasco of the Near East conference in Annapolis," the Israeli expert says.
Presently few people in Israel are prepared to believe in further comprises closing their eyes and even signing of a 'final regulation'. "It is impossible to imagine that even ordinary signing of any agreement between Israel and Palestine under the situation when the mort popular HAMAS in Palestine, which came to power as a result of voting and support of population, promises war to Israel in exchange of territories. Everybody understands that each agreement or declaration will be made null and void by the actions of this pro-Iran group," the expert said.
Probably, if sides do not regard the developments in Annapolis as a business-deal, but the historical milestone for the two nations, and attempt to imagine the future of the region unless a deal is concluded, instead of trying to snatch more from the conference, then the forum in Annapolis gives hope to the Near East, an Israeli expert said.