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June 27th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda After a meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, Putin criticized the illegal Israeli settlements and called them ‘unilateral actions’ that will be ‘unconstructive.’
Press TV has conducted an interview with Hani al-Bahous, a professor at the Islamic University of Gaza to discuss the latest development.
The following is a rough transcript of the interview.
Press TV: Mr. Basous first of all, it was, rather, a rare visit by Vladimir Putin to Tel Aviv and then, of course, the talks that took place with Mahmoud Abbas [Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)], basically, what do you think the aim of this visit was?
Basous: Well, I think that this visit of [by] Vladimir Putin means that Russia has come strongly back to the Middle East after an absence of two decades and I think Vladimir Putin wants to strengthen Russia’s position in the Middle East, especially talking about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process as one of the main issues in the Middle East and I think he was urging the two sides to come back to peace negotiations about the Israeli-Palestinian case.
At the same time I think his visit to the Israeli side at the beginning means that he wanted to speak to Benjamin Netanyahu [Israeli Prime Minister] about the negotiations and about stopping building settlements in the West Bank and he understands well that the Jewish settlements in the West Bank are one of the most difficult points and impediments towards peace that the Palestinian authorities will not accept to renegotiate the cases unless the Israeli side will dismantle settlements which were built in the West Bank or at least freeze building the new settlements.
At the same time, I think, Vladimir Putin went to the West Bank, meeting Mahmoud Abbas for the discussions about the peace process and about negotiations and I think the result was that Mr. Mahmoud Abbas was calling for an international peace conference to be held in Moscow and this, most likely, would lead, somehow in the next few weeks, to resumption of negotiations between the Palestinian side and the Israeli side under new terms.
Most likely despite the fact that Mr. Mahmoud Abbas was saying that he will not negotiate anything with the Israeli side unless the Jewish state would stop its building of settlements in the West Bank and even in Jerusalem al-Quds, this, I think, would make it difficult to resume peace talks, despite the pressure of Vladimir Putin on both sides and merely on the Israeli side to stop building settlements because he understands, as I said, the impediments and the obstacles for peace that the Israeli community and the Israeli state do not want really peace.
All what they want is to expand their own settlements at the expense of the Palestinian side and not to give any right for the Palestinian people.
At the same time there were some confirmations by Vladimir Putin that a Palestinian state is something viable and it has to be built and he would support any establishment of a Palestinian state in the future.
Press TV: Right. Just quickly before we leave you Mr. Basous; we have seen a lot of similar visits taking place and talks being held between officials and authorities in both the West Bank and also in Israel.
The United States for one; has been going and speaking about how to resolve this crisis; a lot of times it has also condemned the settlement expansion but on the ground nothing has changed. The settlement activities have continued.
Do you think that Russia can make a difference?
Basous: Well, I do not think that it will make a difference on the ground despite the fact that it is not the same position; the United States has been standing alongside the Israeli state for many years since its establishment up to now.
And we can understand the bias and the subjectivity in dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian case from the United States.
We can understand that the United States has supported Israel long ago and still is supporting Israeli side even building settlements.
Now we can understand that Russia will not take the same position, at least would take some steps towards peace and have some pressure on the Israeli side and on Benjamin Netanyahu.
At the same time I think it is really difficult, after 20 years of negotiations we did not reach anything, the Israeli side is still stubborn and not conceding, not giving up on many issues.
We can see that they are doing in the West bank and what they are doing in the Jerusalem. They are not giving any chance to a Palestinian state.
So, on the ground it is going to be so difficult despite the fact that I can understand. It is most likely that peace talks will be resumed soon.
MY/GHN
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