Azerbaijan, Baku, 05 August / Trend , U. Sadyhova /
Statements by Heads of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas that the armed resistance of the Palestine Liberation Organization is a matter of choice, will not lead to significant changes in the peace process.
On Tuesday at the Sixth Conference of the Palestine Liberation Organization, held with an interval of 20 years after the previous head of the Palestinian Authority, Abbas said that Palestinians have the right to armed resistance, but military action against Israel may not be the work of Fatah, Al Jazeera reported.
"We want to create a democratic Palestinian state where all will have equal rights, and we want Israel to acknowledge this," - said Abbas at the opening of the conference.
According to Abbas, the need for "armed resistance may arise in case of failure of peace talks with Israel."
However, the main topic of discussion at the sixth conference of Fatah attended by 2000 delegates, to create a new platform that is designed to update the work of the movement.
The main change that took place at the conference can be a rejection of the call for armed struggle against Israel as one of the principles of the Palestinian movement.
Official Palestinian people have reported that this item is deleted from the documents if the talks with Israel fail.
In addition, Fatah intends to begin a new form of resistance against Israel - an act of civil disobedience, primarily against the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a precondition for continuation of negotiations with the Israelis.
Nicola Pratt, professor of international politics in the Middle East, the University of Warwick, believes that Abbas's statements - as a way to demonstrate its commitment to armed struggle as an option in the way of establishing a Palestinian state.
"One of the reasons - to increase its credibility among the Palestinian electorate, which greatly disappointed in the peace process because of the lack of progress for the Palestinians," - Pratt said to Trend via e-mail .
Pratt considers the second reason for preserving the authority of the Fatah party as a serious peace process with Israel.
"Basically, all the cards in the hands of Israel - said Pratt. - That is why the prospect of a military response from Israel gives the Palestinians more leverage in negotiations with him."
Abbas' statements were made against the background of Barack Obama ads on the new terms of the truce in the Middle East in the coming weeks.
Experts do not see big changes in the peace process after Abbas's statement about the possible rejection of the principle of armed resistance to Israel.
These statements were made by delegates to the conference of Fatah to create a balance between the position of Fatah in the negotiations with Israel and those of other participants in the resistance, said George Rishmawi, the head of an international information center for the Middle East (IMEMC).
"This [statement] made to the local policy, but I do not think this way in order to compare the international level with the local [problems]," - Rishmawi said to Trend by telephone from Bethlehem. Israel, however, may benefit from these statements, as opposed to the Fatah, he said.
Despite the fact that Fatah is asked to sign a truce through peaceful dialogue, the Israeli government has repeatedly accused the Palestinian Authority leadership in the lack of control over the activities of paramilitary groups in the West Bank.
Hamas, which controls Gaza and is the second installment of his credibility and scale, refuses to lay down their arms in the struggle against the occupation of Palestinian territories. And although after the military operation of Israel "Cast lead" against rocket attacks on Palestinian movement got calm, its members state of readiness for armed resistance to Israel.
Rishmawi believes that Abbas's statements would not lead to changes in the position of Hamas on the question of military resistance to Israel.
"I do not know how seriously to take these statements by Hamas, but in recent Hamas is not trying to destabilize the situation" - said Rishmawi.
On the issue of conflicts between Fatah and Hamas, Rishmawi believes that disputes can only increase, especially after Hamas-Fatah members not allowed to travel to Bethlehem for the conference.
Palestinian President Abbas has accused Hamas of undermining national dialogue, which takes place in the "enormous support and patience of Egypt."
However, Orit Gal, an expert on the Middle East, the British Royal Institute of International Affairs Chatham House, believes that the statements of Mahmoud Abbas will not have a "negative impact" because he wants to clarify the difference between the right of resistance and war.
"Abbas' statements are more meaningful - Gal told Trend by telephone . - I think that is part of partners [the Palestinians and Israelis], each of which is preparing its society to the negotiating process, which will offer Barack Obama.
During a recent visit to the region special envoy of United States in the Middle East, George Mitchell said that "Washington is working towards a comprehensive peace between the Palestinians and Israel", the main objective of this work - to establish an independent Palestinian state and ensure Israeli security.
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