Likud Party’s position in talks with Palestinians can bring harms to Israel’s image

Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 11 /corr. Trend U.Sadikova / If national Israeli government will be formed under the leadership of right wing headed by Likud Party, serious losses will be brought to the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations and the foreign policy of Israel.

"If government is headed by the right bloc [opposition], then it is worthwhile to expect serious problems, because it will stop the process of political reconciliation with the Palestinians," Amatzia Baram, professor at the University of Haifa (Israel), told Trend in a telephone conversation. 

"In this case, Israel will incur isolation in foreign policy from the USA," he said.

During the pre-term elections for Knesset, the victory was gained by the ruling Kadima Party headed by the Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni.

Her party gained 28 out of 120seats in Knesset, passing ahead of Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud Party - the favorite of present pre-election campaign.

Both parties did not gain the necessary number of seats (61) in the Parliament to form the government. 

The third place was gained by the ultra-nationalist party "Israel Is Our Home" headed by Avigdor Lieberman - it gained 15 seats.

After announcement of final election results, Kadima and Likud will have to form a coalition between themselves or with the smaller party fractions.

Unlike Kadima, Likud holds hard position in the negotiations with the Palestinians. The party supports stopping negotiations and destroying all Palestinian groups, including Hamas, in a military way.

During the pre-election campaign, Netanyahu supported "complete destruction of Hamas and liberation of all Palestinian territories from the radical groups".

Yediot Ahronot newspaper writes that even if Livni wins, Netanyahu will form the government.

Maariv newspaper also reports of possible victory of Netanyahu in forming the future government. "Livni won the battle, but she can lose war," Israeli newspaper writes.

One of the important themes of the elections was the future Palestinian-Israeli process of reconciliation, and also ensuring security of Israel, which especially actualized after the beginning of military operations in the Gaza Strip against the members of Hamas in response to constant missile firings across the south of Israel.

The Head of Palestinian Administration Mahmud Abbas stated that "regardless of the fact who will win the elections in Israel, the Palestinians are prepared to continue peaceful negotiations," Maan agency reported.

Strengthening of the right wing, which acts for the blockade of Palestinians and stopping all negotiations, can lead to worsening in the peaceful process between the sides, said Palestinian analyst Majeed al-Zeer.

"After attack on Gaza, the Israelis much more hope for those parties, which oppose the negotiations with the Palestinians," al-Zeer, head of British office of Palestinian Al-Auda Center, told Trend in a telephone conversation from London.

Despite that the negotiations with the Palestinians did not advance during the period of Kadima, the right bloc and Netanyahu will not at all listen to the opinion of Palestinians, more satisfy their requirements, al-Zeer considers.

According to the local analysts, forming new government in Israel with the support of the majority of the right bloc will be rather advantageous for Israel's domestic policy, but not for the foreign.

The leader Likud, Netanyahu said that the problem of Palestinians and Israelis must be solved from "the economic point of view, but not political".

"The only thing, which can the right bloc and Netanyahu propose, is the improvement in living conditions on the West Bank, but unlikely the Arabs will agree upon this," Baram said.

The position of rights with respect to the Palestinians can also worsen the foreign policy image of Israel in the West, especially in the USA, since the new White House Administration supports advancing peace in the Middle East.  

The Palestinians do not expect serious changes in the policy of the USA in the region, but hope is great that Barrack Obama will not want freezing the peaceful process, George Rishmawi, Director of the International Middle East Media Center, said.

"The position of the right Israelis can worsen the relations of Israel and USA, Rishmawi told Trend in a telephone conversation from Bethlehem.  

Therefore, if Obama wants changes in the Middle East, he will be able to press on the right wing so that it would not cease negotiations with the Palestinians.

Al-Zeer also says that if the USA and the European Union want changes in the Palestinian-Israeli process, then they can press on the new government of Israel, since the support of the USA means greatly much for Israel.

The need for holding pre-term elections in Israel appeared in October last year, when due to accusations of corruption, the Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was forced to resign.