Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he hopes for a resumption of peace talks with the next Israeli government. He called for joint dialogue to begin immediately after the formation of the new government in Israel.
Abbas made the statement during a visit to Nicosia. "For many years, we have been reaching out to the Israeli side to achieve peace with it, so that Israel and Palestine can live in security, stability and peace," he said.
“We hope that immediately after the formation of a new Israeli government, we will be able to start a joint dialogue,“ said Mahmoud Abbas.The parliamentary elections in Israel did not result in the formation of a clear majority. The composition of the next government depends on the final vote count and negotiations between political forces.
The peace process is stalled
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process has been blocked for years. Since the end of 2022, Israel has been governed by a coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu, described as the most right-wing in the country's history. The government opposes the creation of a Palestinian state.
The possibility of resuming negotiations has further receded after the attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement “Hamas“ against Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in the Gaza Strip.
Tensions have also increased in the occupied West Bank, where the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority is located. There, Israeli military operations and attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians have increased.
Unclear direction for the future government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had prepared a “very big surprise“ for the Palestinian Authority after a deadly attack on Israeli soldiers near Hebron. He did not give details of his intentions.
In the event of a re-formation of a coalition similar to the previous one, far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir has already said he will run for the post of defense minister. He has listed the expulsion of the Palestinian population from the Gaza Strip as his priority.
A possible alliance between Arab parties and the main opposition bloc led by centrist Gadi Eisenkot also does not guarantee the restoration of the peace process. This is the assessment of experts interviewed by AFP.
Sources: bta.bg