No one can change situation in Middle East: Russian expert

"Moscow, of course, can somehow act as an intermediary, Moscow has good relations with the Palestinians and their leadership, there is a huge number of mixed Palestinian families [...], medical and engineering elite, trained in the Russian universities," Russia's famous Orientalist, Satanovsky told Trend News over the telephone from Moscow. "There are 1,300 Israeli-immigrants from the Soviet Union - all this could be a very good bridge."

However, in the situation when the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, has increasingly negative trends and is at an impasse, no one, including Russia and the United States, can solve it, said Satanovsky.

Israel and the European Union urged Russia to strengthen its role in the Middle East peace process, the Israeli media reported.

The EU believes that Moscow should be more involved in the negotiations, based on the fact that Russia is a member of the Middle East Quartet. "

Statements were made on the backdrop of Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the European countries and discussing the problem on the Jewish settlements with U.S. Special Envoy to the region, George Mitchell.

Satanovsky believes that "Russia has an advantage in the Middle East, what Brussels and Washington do not have, primarily due to the many Israeli and Palestinian families," but "no one can change the situation, until speculation about the peace process stops".

"Moreover, if the Palestinians and the Israelis are left in peace, no one mediates, then they certainly would find a solution acceptable to all," the Russia orientalist. "It would be a real solution, which stands on a solid foundation."

In recent months, the U.S. and European Union have urged both Palestinians and Israelis to accelerate progress in the peace process in order to provide a basis for coexistence of two states - Israel and a Palestinian - side by side in peace and security.

Before the UN General Assembly in September, U.S. President Barack Obama intends to announce the U.S.'s new plan to solve the Middle East conflict, told the British Guardian newspaper. At the General Assembly, it is planned to hold a meeting between Netanyahu and Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas - the first one after the right wing cabinet's arrival in Israel.

The main obstacle to resume the peace process was Israel's refusal to fulfill the requirements of the international community and the Palestinian Authority to freeze the construction of the Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

At the talks on Wednesday with Mitchell, Netanyahu proposed a nine-month moratorium on building in the Jewish settlements in order to unblock the peace process with the Palestinians, said on Thursday the Ha'aretz newspaper, citing an unnamed government source.

But despite the pressure by the Obama administration and the EU, Israel will not dismantle settlements, as it did in the Gaza Strip in 2005, said Satanovsky.

"This experience has led to very negative consequences for both Israelis and Palestinians," the Russia analyst said. "So today, after the Al-Aqsa Intifada [Palestinian uprising in 2000] and the relationship of Hamas and Fatah, it is pointless to say that Israel will yield to Washington's pressure.

After the Israeli troops' withdrawal from Gaza and dismantling the Jewish settlements, the Palestinian enclave came under the control of the Hamas resistance movement, which rejects truce with Israel.

Washington's role in the peace process, Satanovsky regards as efforts "aimed not at peace, but attempts to look like a superpower and a respected negotiator, which all the parties show.

The Russia orientalist believes that now there is a struggle between ultra-left officials, as Rahm Emmanuel and Dan Akselirot in the Obama administration against the right wing - Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

"Washington is now working for this [the fight against the right-wing government], that will unlikely lead to change," believes Satanovsky.

Therefore, according to the orientalist, Russia could, perhaps, try to mediate in the talks, but it is impossible to something in the situation of the peace process.

"Of course, two elderly men, Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and Shimon Peres [Israel's president], who stand at the source of the peace process, will speak about the peace talks," added Satanovsky. "But at the moment when they will not exist, we will witness how everything starts to crumble.

/Trend News/