Israel, Jerusalem / Тrend corr R. Abdullayev, D. Khatinoglu / The conference on Middle East which took place in Annapolis again created an opportunity for dialogue and negotiations between the sides striving for peace.
"Annapolis is not a result of signing of a peaceful agreement, but just announcement of intentions by the sides striving for peaceful settlement of Palestinian-Israeli conflicts," an MP of the Israeli Parliament, who is also a member of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and Defence and is a leader of the Merets party, Ran Cohen said.
On 27 November, a conference on Middle East took place in Annapolis, US, where Israeli and Palestinian leaders promised to launch negotiations in December for peaceful settlement.
According to Iranian political scientist Alireza Nourizadeh, the conference offered wide opportunities to Palestine. "It was the first time for the United States to urge establishment of a Palestinian state. Sixteen Arabic countries, including Syria which is considered an enemy of Israel, participated in the conference in Annapolis," the expert said. In his opinion, the conference was a success and its results will be positive for both countries.
According to Israeli political scientist, the speeches of the two sides in front of representatives of 40 countries, including Arabic countries which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, made it clear that there are intense contradiction between the sides and that conclusion of durable agreements will require good concessions. It will be impossible to make peace without direct negotiations. Negotiations and dialogue between the sides decreases possibility of terror and violence, Cohen said.
In his interview to Trend the Israeli MP said many Israelis, including the Prime Minister Olmert, do realize that Mahmoud Abbas's regime can consolidate itself on the West bank of the Jordan River only in case he has a peaceful agreement completed with Israel. "In case Mahmoud Abbas has a real document on establishment of a Palestinian state, he will receive full control over the Jordan River west bank and later over the Gaza Strip," Cohen said.
According to Cohen, in order to strengthen their popularity among Palestinian people, HAMAS members considered participation of Mahmoud Abbas and his administration in the Annapolis conference as a plot with the United States and Israel. "If HAMAS comes to power, that will turn to a national tragedy of Palestinian people. HAMAS calls on annihilation of Jews, pursues Christians, left-wingers sticking to Soviet way of development, and the Arabs cooperating with Israel," Cohen said. The aim of terror operations carried out by HAMAS is to demoralize the population and to discredit Israeli punitive bodies. HAMAS recruits militants from Universities, schools, mosques, charitable organizations, then forms martyr troops and convinces them that death for the sake of Islam is the shortest way to paradise, he said.
In this complicated situation Israel should strengthen the regime of Mahmoud Abbas and should conclude a peaceful agreement in accordance with which Israel should evacuate most part of settlements and give Eastern Jerusalem to Palestinians where they will set their capital. "Today 70% of Palestinians agree with the conception 'two nations - two states', which gives a chance to Palestinians to have a better alternative than HAMAS is," he said.
Cohen agrees than an important task of the Middle East conference in Annapolis was establishment of a wide anti-Iranian coalition of moderate Arabic regimes and Israel, which would oppose the strengthening geopolitical hegemony of the Iranian Mullah regime. "In order to provide success to wide anti-Iranian coalition and to Isolate the regime of ayatollahs, Israel should achieve peace with Syria through ceding the Holan Mountains to it. Washington should provide such strong back to anti-Iranian coalition as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Israel," Cohen said. Until Iran has such terror allies as HAMAS, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Jihad, Mullah regime will feel its geopolitical force in the Middle East, he said.