A lack of serious progress in the peace process in the Middle East may intensify crisis factors in the region and provoke new large-scale acts of violence, a Russian Mideast analyst warned on Monday.
An international conference headlined "Middle East 2020: Is ф Comprehensive Settlement Possible?" began late on Sunday in Jordan.
"The most probable scenario in the event of a lack of progress toward settling the Middle East [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict is a toughening of the Palestinian position, fueled by an attempt to isolate Hamas," Yevgeny Primakov told the forum.
The conference, organized by the Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti and the Russian Council for Foreign and Defense Policy within the framework of the Valdai International Discussion Club, is discussing the Middle East settlement, the global energy security, the strengthening the Non-proliferation regime, and a range of other international issues.
The event is to run until December 22.
"It is difficult to rule out the possibility of a new Intifada with a focus on terrorist attacks. This would be deplorable and against the interests of all states, including Russia. However, this scenario is possible, if the peace process is frozen," Primakov said.
Primakov said that Israel's large-scale retaliation measures would further discourage the Mideast peace process.
The deadlock can be overcome if Israel freezes the construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the U.S. clearly outlines its position on refusing to put on hold the current Mideast situation, the academician said.
Also, the Mideast negotiating quartet - the UN, the EU, Russia and the U.S. - must step up their mediatory efforts and offer a compromise framework settlement plan as the basis for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, Primakov said.
The peace settlement plan should set out the principles for solving the problem of Palestinian refugees based on their right to return to their homeland within the framework of agreed quotas and the payment of compensation and should also seal the status of Jerusalem as the capital of both states, Palestine and Israel, Primakov said.
JORDAN, December 21 (RIA Novosti)
