Azerbaijan, Baku, 4 March / corr. Trend R. Hafizoglu. R. Abdullayev/ Terminating negotiations with Israel by Mahmud Abbas as a response to the military operations in Gaza could lead to increasing pressure of the international community in the country.
"For Mahmud Abbas to end negotiations with Israel will lead to pressure on the country from the world community," Nasir Leham, the Palestinian political scientist said to Trend . According to the report of Al-Jazeera TV on 3 March, Mahmu Abbas, the President of the Palestinian administration has decided to end official talks with Israel as a protest against the large-scale military operations in Gaza launched by Israel.
According to the expert, even if Abbas' move ends all relations with Israel, it will not stop military operations; however it could lead to increasing pressure on Israel.
"Abbas is the only person who can solve the Palestinian problem. His move will lead to pressure from the world countries on Israel sooner or later," Leham, the director of Maan News Agency and political scientist said to Trend from Ramallah.
According to Leham, Israel must end military operations in Gaza in order to restore talks with the Palestinian administration.
Isam Mohammad, the Dean of the Islam University in Gaza and pro-HAMAS political scientist also stated that Abbas's ending talks with Israel is a worthy step. "Though Mahmud Abbas does not enjoy high authority amongst the Palestinians, his move will lead to increasing his authority amongst the population," Mohammad said to Trend during a telephone interview from Gaza.
The expert said that though Abbas's decision was a little late, it is sufficient for the world countries to put pressure on Israel.
Khalid Batsh, the leader of Islamic Jihad organization in Palestine said that the current move by Mahmud Abbas is his most sensible decision up to now. "Mahmud Abbas's ending negotiations with Israel will compel the Zionist government to think," Batsh said to Trend on a telephone from Palestine.
Though we tried to interview Sami Abu Zahri, the press secretary of HAMAS, Islamic resistance movement, he refused to comment on Mahmud Abbas's step.
Eddi Shapira, the official representative of the Israeli Foreign Ministry said he is sorry about the fact that Mahmud Abbas has frozen the talks with Israel. "We are sorry that Mahmud Abbas has ended talks with Israel due to the anti-terror operations in Gaza," Shapira said to Trend .
According to Israeli diplomat, Israel is ready to hold peaceful talks right now and to fight against terrorism and terrorist organizations. "We see Mahmud Abbas and his government as serious partners in negotiations," Shapira said.
According to Shapira, the Israeli military operations in Gaza which are unfortunately full of victims amongst the Palestinian civilians, aim at protecting the Israeli citizens which is obligation of the Israeli government. Meanwhile, HAMAS is firing rockets to Israeli settlements in order to inflict maximum damage to the civilians.
"Mahmud Abbas and his negotiation team are well aware that the fight against terrorism and terrorist organizations has always been carried out simultaneously with the peace process," the official representative of Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
According to media reports, military operation in Gaza carried out by the Israeli army for the last two days have claimed the lives of 116 people. The UN Secretary General Pan Ki Mun condemned the military operations of Israel in Gaza and demanded that military operations be stopped. The prime minister of Turkey Rajab Tayyip Ardogan also condemned the military operations in Gaza. He accused Israel of not solving the problem through diplomatic means.