Putin's Efforts to Revive Israeli-Palestinian Dialogue

A senior Palestinian official has reported on Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to arrange a meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and the President of the Palestinian Authority. Ahmad Majdalani, advisor to Mahmoud Abbas and member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, stated that Moscow is 'working' on such a meeting and that the timing is 'near.' On Monday, September 8, Majdalani told Israeli and Russian media that Egypt is also a partner in these efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian political dialogue initiated by Russia. According to this senior official, the Palestinians welcome this initiative, which could open a 'new horizon.' Meanwhile, Majdalani told Haaretz that the Palestinians do not want the meeting just for the sake of meeting; it must yield positive results. This senior official of the PLO added that Israel must stop construction in the occupied territories, release the fourth group of Palestinian security prisoners as per previous commitments, and comply with several other Palestinian demands. Majdalani mentioned that 'until a few weeks ago, Cairo was mentioned as the meeting place, but now Moscow is being worked on as the host for the leaders' meeting, although this location may also change.' Israeli media have reported since October about this meeting. The Israeli Prime Minister's office told Haaretz that Netanyahu is ready to meet without any preconditions. The Kremlin reported last weekend on a phone call initiated by Benjamin Netanyahu with Vladimir Putin, stating that the Israeli-Palestinian peace issue was also discussed during this conversation. Two days before this phone call, Israeli media reported that a delegation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry was sent on an urgent trip to Cairo to obtain more details from the Egyptian government regarding recent statements by the Egyptian President. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stated earlier last week that Putin informed him he is ready to work towards resuming talks between Israel and the Palestinians. The last serious round of political talks between Israel and the Palestinians took place in the fall of 2008, during Ehud Olmert's tenure as Prime Minister of Israel. Several subsequent meetings during Netanyahu's government were fruitless. In the years without political dialogue, there were several intense clashes between Israel and the Palestinians; in the last days of 2008 and also in the fall of 2012, Israel attacked Gaza; in 2014, the 51-day operation of the Israeli army in Gaza resulted in over 2,400 Palestinian deaths and significant destruction. In the past year, street violence through knife and car attacks against Israelis has killed forty Israelis, while Israel has also killed over 260 Palestinians. While the Israeli Prime Minister has seemingly shown interest in Putin's proposal, he has openly rejected the recent French political initiative. Ahmad Majdalani told Haaretz that it is in Israel's interest for Netanyahu to show interest in the Russian plan to divert public opinion from France's political efforts. Barack Obama stated last year that as long as he is President of the United States, there will be no progress in Israeli-Palestinian peace, and his administration has suspended efforts in this regard. Netanyahu has always shown distrust and coldness towards Obama and his administration regarding mediation for peace. Ephraim Halevy, former head of Mossad, recently wrote in an article that Putin has considered strategies to restore Russia's important role in the Middle East to the status before the 1973 war. Egypt is also showing partnership with Russia and Israel to advance Israeli-Palestinian political dialogue while receiving the green light from the Palestinians, as Sisi's government has shown greater attention to Russia since taking office in June 2013. Egypt was displeased with the role the U.S. played in the events of the winter of 2011, which led to the fall of Hosni Mubarak's government and the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood. Under Sisi, Egypt has also signed major arms purchase contracts with Russia for the first time since Gamal Abdel Nasser's era.