News Analysis: Obama-Netanyahu meeting brings no hope for Mideast peace talks

Talks between U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on Monday fueled pessimism among Palestinians over reviving the stalled Mideast peace process.

Palestinian analysts agreed that the meeting reinforced the biased U.S. support for Israel without showing any signs to resume the peace process in the Middle East as President Obama's second term is about to end.

PALESTINIAN FRUSTRATION

George Jackman, chairman of Ramallah-based Democratic Studies Institution, told Xinhua that the results of Obama-Netanyahu's meeting were frustrating, giving no hope for the peace process.

"It is obvious that the meeting focused on healing the U.S.-Israel rift, which was a result of Israel's opposition to the Iranian nuclear agreement reached in July, and neglected the question of the conflict with the Palestinians," said Jackman.

Following the meeting, Obama condemned the Palestinian violence against Israel without referring to the Palestinians' loss of hope.

"This means that Obama sees the conflict from one angle without mentioning anything related to the Israeli occupation and establishing a Palestinian state," Jackman commented.

He expected that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry may hold separate meetings with the Israelis and the Palestinians in the coming months, but realistically the parties concerned do not count that much on this activity "because there is no real U.S. pressure on Israel as it was before."

"The growing political vacuum will keep the doors open for more escalation of the current wave of tension with Israel in the Palestinian territories amid a closed political margin and a deteriorating economic situation," said Jackman.

The peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have been stalled since April last year. The U.S.-sponsored talks that lasted for nine months achieved no tangible results with U.S. officials ruling out any resumption of talks in the future.

Khalil Shahin, a Ramallah-based political analyst, told Xinhua that the talks between Obama and Netanyahu "had devoted a new reality that resuming the peace talks in the Middle East at the current time is impossible."

In his opinion, the resumption of peace talks needs two conditions: calming down the situation on the ground with practical measures, and finding reasonable solutions such as holding exploratory talks.

The Palestinian Presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rdineh earlier criticized the Washington for offering a future solution that is not encouraging and will not help calm the tensions.

"All parties must bear responsibility towards what is going on, because we are standing at a dangerous crossroad and this danger will be reflected on the entire region," said Abu Rdineh.

POSSIBLE REACTIONS

Senior Palestinian officials earlier announced that President Mahmoud Abbas is to address letters to both Israel and U.S. governments as well as other regional and international parties, demanding them to support an Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state and then resume the peace talks.

They said resuming the talks has to be in line with a specific timetable. In case Israel rejects the recognition of a Palestinian state, the Palestinians will declare the end of the transitional peace period.

This means that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), formed as the result of the Oslo Accord, is to be dissolved, and a new government be established. All signed treaties with Israel will also be annulled.

Hani el-Masri, chairman of the Ramallah-based Center for Researches and Studies, told Xinhua that the Palestinian leadership is not in a hurry to implement its threats.

"The Palestinians are still hoping that one day there will be international efforts that help resume the stalled peace talks," said Masri. Endit