Israel has no plans to leave West Bank

Israel doesn't plan to leave the West Bank of the Jordan River claiming this region to be an inseparable part of the state. This announcement came from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after meeting the American special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell.

In the course of the talks, Mr. Netanyahu agreed to limit the construction of Jewish settlements on the western bank of the Jordan, but not to cease it. This position may aggravate both the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue, the world community is striving for, and Middle Eastern settlement as a whole, according to a Russian expert in Oriental studies Vladimir Akhmedov:

"I believe the present position of the Israeli government leaves no chances to unblock of peaceful Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. The statement by Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel won't disregard the western bank territory even if any semblance of a Palestinian state is established, provide evidence that the Israeli leadership doesn't intend to settle the conflict with the Palestinians".

The Jordan River West Bank is regarded as Palestinian territory, as laid down in the UN documents of 1947 which divided Palestine into Arab and Israeli parts. During the Six-Day War of 1967, Israel captured the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem and it has control over these territories up to the present day. In 2003 four international mediators comprising Russia, the USA, the EU and UN worked out a stage-by-stage settlement plan - the so-called road map. It assumes regaining of the West Bank by the Palestinians and establishing a Palestinian state.

In compliance with the road map, the opposing sides have undertaken specific commitments which are unfortunately not being met. The negotiations between Israel and Palestine were torpedoed and wouldn't be resumed unless construction of Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory is ceased. Given this, high hopes are put on international mediation, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will therefore pay a working visit to Russia. The current situation in the Middle East and prospects for peace process will become the focus of his meetings. Moscow maintains relations with both Israel and Palestine and may persuade the conflicting sides to search for compromises.