News Analysis: Further tensions with Palestinians expected if full rightwing gov't formed in Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's surprise victory in Tuesday's parliamentary elections has made many begin to speculate about a full rightwing government in the Jewish state.

If such a government were to be established, further tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians could well be expected, and the chances to restore peace between the two rivals would be put in jepordy, according to Palestinian observers and analysts.

They believe that bilateral ties between the two are expected to be severely harmed following Netanyahu's recent remarks concerning his objection to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Netanyahu's Likud party earned 30 seats in the parliament, where observers expected that he will be able to form a fully rightwing government.

SEVERE CURVE

Hani el-Masri, a West Bank-based political analyst, told Xinhua that Israel is clearly heading towards fanaticism and the results showed that it is impossible to reach a real peace agreement with Israel.

"The Palestinian cause is currently facing a severe curve and crucial dangers. It is now going through an unprecedented real crisis," said al-Masri, explaining Israel finds itself before a historic opportunity to finalize its colonial settlement strategy.

He went on saying that the right-wingers in Israel will use the current regional and international splits to undermine any opportunity for making peace and establishing an independent Palestinian state, adding "the Palestinians should work now on a new strategy and end their current (internal) split."

The Palestinians are currently politically weak due to their internal divisions which could dated back when Islamic Hamas movement violently seized control of the Gaza Strip years ago.

Despite their efforts to form a unity government since last year, Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah Party have so far failed to achieve a real reconciliation.

POTENTIAL ESCALATION

"I believe that the coming Israeli government will have a powerful authorization more than before to continue with its previous policies against the Palestinians," Adnan Abu Aamer, political science professor in al-Ommah University in Gaza, said.

He warned that keeping the same Israeli policies against the Palestinians "would certainly blow up the situation, escalate violence between the two sides, and this may lead to a third popular uprising against Israel in the West Bank."

The U.S.-sponsored direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stopped one year ago without achieving any progress.

Ties between the two sides plunged to historic low levels after Israel waged a large-scale air and ground military operation on the Gaza Strip last summer for 50 days, leaving 2,200 people killed.

Political tensions continued to grow after the Palestinians signed on joining 20 world treaties and agencies, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to the stalled peace talks. Israel in return cut off the tax revenue dues and kept the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in a real financial crisis.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council then recommended to sever security ties and coordination with Israel.

On Thursday, the PLO Executive Committee decided to assign a political committee in coordination with security apparatuses chiefs to put a plan and implement the decision of halting security coordination with Israel.

TWO-STATE ISSUE

Earlier on Tuesday, Netanyahu declared that there will be no Palestinian state if he could win the elections. He also vowed to increase the settlement.

However, Netanyahu denied on Thursday that he had abandoned his commitment to creating a Palestinian state, but said current political conditions made that possibility more remote.

In an interview with MSNBC on Thursday, he said "I don't want a one-state solution. I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution. But for that, circumstances have to change," adding that "I haven't changed my policy."

Khalil Shahin, Ramallah-based political analyst, told Xinhua that Netanyahu remarks and his expected policy after he won the elections "is clearly showing that there is no immediate solution to the Palestinian cause."

"The vision of the two-state solution, which was rejected by Netanyahu, is still on the political agenda of the Palestinians, the Arabs and the international community," he said.

Shahin said the Palestinians should form a new national and comprehensive strategy based on Palestinian unity and creating a real change in the balance of powers," adding "the Palestinians also are demanded to keep working hard on making the two-state principle real on the ground." Endit