Talks on new American and Israeli plans and initiatives to push forward the peace process have increased in the past few weeks, while the Palestinians are working in full swing for the establishment of an independent state in September.
The Middle East peace process has been stalled, since the Palestinians had suspended the direct peace talks with Israel in October, one month after it was launched in Washington. The talks with Israel were suspended after Israel refused to freeze settlement building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Since then, the American and European efforts to bridge the gaps between the two conflicting parties had failed. The Palestinians insist that Israel must freeze settlement first before getting back to the negotiation table, otherwise, they would use diplomatic options in case the peace process pronounced dead.
However, observers believe that the recent popular protests, which rip through the Arab region and toppled two Arab presidents, would put pressure on the Israelis and the Palestinians and would create a new push for the international efforts to revive the peace process.
OBAMA'S PLAN
According to a New York Newspaper report, which quoted an official in the White House, U.S. President Barack Obama is preparing to present a new initiative related to the situation in the Middle East, including an achievement of peace between the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
Obama's initiative, according to the newspaper's report, is based on four major principles: Israel accepts a Palestinian state on the territories it occupied in 1967, Jerusalem is a joint capital for the two states, guarantees for Israel's security and Palestinian drops the refugees' right of return.
However, the Ramallah-based Al-Ayyam daily quoted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as saying that Washington should endorse the references of the peace process in its plan, which includes the fact that the borders of the Palestinian state combine the lands that Israel has occupied in 1967.
The Palestinians are now considering that the ball is at the Israeli and American sides concerning the resumption of the peace talks. Meanwhile, the Palestinians are still going on with their plan to earn the largest international support for a declaration of a Palestinian state in September.
CRUCIAL SEPTEMBER
The Palestinians want to gain an international recognition of an independent Palestinian state on the territories Israel had occupied in 1967 they plan to unilaterally declare in September without having a peace agreement with Israel. The Palestinian attitude is strongly opposed by the United States and Israel.
However, the Palestinians are relaying on European positive stances as well as on the changes that the Arab world is witnessing to increase the pressure on Israel and the United States. In return, Israel is planning to precede the Palestinians moved by presenting a plan titled "no solution without bilateral talks."
Yasser Abed Rabbo, the official in Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said that the new Israeli peace plan "is dodging to block the Palestinian declaration of a state," referring to Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to pull out troops from the West Bank and offer security facilities.
"I believe that Israel felt the increasing internal and foreign pressures to launch a serious peace process in the Middle East," Abed Rabbo said, adding "But the pressure on Netanyahu was confronted by a policy to mislead the world and present tricks to the world that would lead to nothing."
Khalil Shain, the West Bank-based political analyst told Xinhua that there are undeclared talks between Israel and the U.S. to agree on Netanyahu's plan "to avoid a serious international pressure on Israel to resolve the ongoing conflict," adding that this plan is only calling for the renewal of the bilateral talks."
EXISTING TALKS RENEWAL
The Palestinians, meanwhile, expressed readiness to immediately renew the peace talks with Israel only if Israel recognizes an international peace reference, halts settlement building and agrees on the establishment of a Palestinian state on the territories it occupied in 1967. However, Israel still rejects the Palestinian demands.
No'man Omer, the West Bank-based academic told Xinhua that the factors of confidence between the two sides are missing "mainly when we focus on the two sides' manners on the ground," adding " the Palestinians made their mind concerning the future of the peace process with Israel."
"The Palestinian leadership is focusing now more on applying to the international community to increase the pressure on Israel and America to pay the invoice of occupation," Omer said, adding " Israel, which is influenced by the extreme right wing, has not yet prepared to reach a permanent peace deal."
The Palestinians are waiting for what they term "September dues " which indicates that in September, the one-year period decided for finalizing the peace process will be over, and also when President Obama promised that in September, the state of Palestinian will be a full member in the United Nations General Assembly.
Sameh Shbeib, another West Bank-based political analyst told Xinhua that the Palestinians are feeling relaxed about their diplomatic moves, adding "they are certain that it will lead to an international recognition of a Palestinian state, but at the same time, the atmosphere will be open for all options."
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