Strategic Council Online – Interview: An expert on West Asia affairs, saying that Abu Mazen meeting with the Israeli defense minister, would create a rift among Palestinian groups, added: The Zionists, under the current situation, are deeply concerned about the broad solidarity and unity of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
Strategic Council Online: Hassan Hanizadeh, an expert on the Middle East affairs, speaking in an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, examined prospects for the formation of an independent Palestinian state and the obstacles on the way.
Strategic Council Online – During the recent visit of the Palestinian Foreign Minister to Moscow and meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the quartet meeting of the Middle East ministers, increase of Russian assistance to Palestine in the fight against Coronavirus and the meeting of the Joint Russian-Palestinian Economic Cooperation Commission were discussed. Russia, which supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the Occupied Territories, is in talks with other quadripartite members, including the United States, the United Nations and the European Union, to discuss the possibility of holding such meetings at the foreign ministerial level. According to Russia, the Palestinians have always wanted the “quartet group” play a mediating role.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs
Strategic Council Online – An expert on Palestine affairs, commenting on the recent decision of Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, to postpone the Palestinian elections said: The most important issue that has now led to the suspension of the Palestinian elections was the protest of the Zionists; because they do not want the elections to take place as they know that holding the elections will have serious consequences for them.
Strategic Council Online – According to a decree issued by Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, the Palestinian elections are scheduled to be held in three stages in 2021. According to the decree, for the Palestinian Legislative Council (Parliament) the elections will be held on May 22, for the president of the Palestinian Authority on July 31, and for the Palestinian National Council on August 31, 2021. The results of the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Assembly will be the first stage in the formation of the Palestinian National Council, which will be completed after the elections in accordance with the statute of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and national reconciliation. This is an important and effective step towards establishing unification in Palestine. Announcement of the exact date for the election has been accompanied by movements in the diplomatic arena.
Mahmoud Fazeli – Analyst of international affairs