POLITICS

Russia and Palestine have strengthened their mutual friendship – and that could throw down a challenge to Israel.

With the Middle East in turmoil and the Palestinian authorities planning to appeal to the UN for recognition as an independent state, the stakes are rising.

And according to Mousa Abu Marzook, a senior member of Hamas, Russian Foreign Minsiter Sergei Lavrov is planning to support Palestine’s bid for freedom.

That is unlikely to see the disputed territories welcomed into the family of nations, but it could put further strain on relations between Moscow and Jerusalem.

“If Russia votes in its favour in September - knowing that the USA will exercise the veto and nothing will happen in general - this might be serious,” Beni Briskin, Israeli political analyst, told the Moscow News.

Lavrov keeps quiet

Marzook’s bold statement, made at a press conference in Moscow following talks with the ministry, has yet to be confirmed by Lavrov – but Israeli analysts fear there could be tough times ahead for the country’s relationship with Russia.

“Israel has got used to [Russia’s] position,” Briskin said, although “it seems to be strange”.

A pro-Palestine stance was adopted in the 90s by then foreign affairs minister Yevgeny Primakov and the expert added that there had been no change in Moscow despite what he described as much better relations between Israel and Russia.

Meanwhile the Israeli embassy in Moscow took a cautious stance, with press secretary Alex Goldman-Scheiman hoping that Russian participation in the process would finally lead to Hamas changing its position over Israel.

‘Out of date’ view

Yevgeny Satanovsky, president of Moscow’s Institute of the Middle East, also believes Russia’s position on the Palestinian issue to be a legacy of the by-gone era.

Russian-Palestinian relationships are like “a suitcase without a handle – you feel sorry about leaving it behind, but carrying it is quite inconvenient at the same time,” he told the Moscow News.

He added that it was futile to discuss Russia’s role in any peacemaking process, saying that the discussions died back in the 1990s.

“After Lazarus’ restoration to life there have been no cases of resurrection in the Middle East,” he said ironically.

And military contracts, including Russia’s order for Israeli drone aircraft, and close relations in general are too important for both, he believes.

Internal discussions

A Palestinian lobby, including representatives of Hamas and Fatah, was invited to Moscow by the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, RIA Novosti reported.

And talks between various Arab factions during the visit were as significant as the meeting with Lavrov.

However there has been no breakthrough which would enable talks to start with Jerusalem.

Israel refuses to talk with Hamas, listed as a terrorist organisation by the US and the EU, while Hamas keeps on refusing to recognise the state.

“There are no international norms that would prescribe a movement to recognise some state,” Marzook told jouranalists.

“We are ready for peace, but not for suicide,” Briskin said about the possibility of negotiations with Hamas, adding that Russia would be more influential if it followed the US line on Hamas.

Life after Cairo

The Palestinian delegation arrived in Moscow shortly after Hamas and Fatah reconciled their long-running differences in Egypt on May 5.

Lavrov said the Moscow discussions will help “implement the Cairene arrangements”, which were earlier called “a horrible blow and a great victory of terrorism” by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

The reconciliation, however, has been praised by Russia and called “a historical event” by Lavrov.