US stance has hindered PA-Israel talks

A Palestinian expert believes that the PA-Israeli talks have hit problems due to the US stance that is growingly pro-Israeli.

Khalil Shahin told the Arabic Sky News television channel that Israel is no longer a problem in the talks as it has declared its stance in clear terms.

"Israel has always opposed to the UN resolutions, especially the UN call for its withdrawal from the 1967-occupied territories. I believe that the problem is with the US as it keeps modifying its original stance in favor of Israel," Shahin said, adding that the US seeks to calm Israel about a prospective deal with the Palestinian Authority.

The analyst said the Palestinian side has a feeble position in the talks, arguing that Israel would ultimately oppose few articles of a US-designed deal while the Palestinian side could not afford agreeing with many of its provisions.

The analyst said the US tends to add additional terms to a draft deal in favor of Israel while the Palestinian side wishes to talks under the UN resolutions and clear terms.

The expert also touched on the so-called 'Israeli security concerns,' saying that an Israeli demand for military presence in a future Palestinian state would mean to breach the state's sovereignty.

The expert noted that besides the military presence issue, the Palestinians oppose the Israeli judazation projects. "They also demand a return of the Palestinian refugees to their homeland,' Shahin added.

Asked about the deployment of international forces in a future Palestinian state instead of Israeli forces, the expert said Israel was playing up security issues. "Israel seeks to use the security issue as a pretext for preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state," he said.

The expert added that Palestinians would refuse any presence of NATO forces in their future state.