MOSCOW, August 23 (RIA Novosti) - Progress in the Middle East settlement progress now depends on the Palestine Authority after Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, the chairman of the Federation Council (the upper house of the parliament) committee for international affairs said.
"If the Mahmoud Abbas government displays the political will Ariel Sharon did, progress will be achieved in the Middle East settlement," Mikhail Margelov said.
He said the international community sympathized with Israel following media reports about the pullout of Israeli settlements.
"Accordingly, Palestinians need a powerful response if they are interested in further peace settlement," the senator said.
Demands of further withdrawal of Israeli settlements without relevant security guarantees are absurd, Margelov said.
"Political moods have changed both in Israel and across the globe after the withdrawal of the Israelis from the Gaza Strip," Margelov said.
If Palestinians provoke armed clashes on the new legitimate Israeli-Palestinian border, acknowledged by the international community, the reaction of Israel and the Middle East quartet of international intermediaries will be much tougher, he said.
"Therefore, Ariel Sharon and Mahmoud Abbas should make a decision on the future of the disengagement at their upcoming meeting," Margelov said.
