Senior Palestinian Predicts Violence if Statehood Blocked at UN

May 27, 2011

A section of the controversial Israeli barrier is seen from Jerusalem and shows the Shuafat refugee camp (R) in the West Bank near Jerusalem, and Pisgat Zeev (L) in an area Israel annexed to Jerusalem after capturing it in the 1967 Middle East war, May 25, 2011

Political violence in Yemen. NATO airstrikes in Libya. Millions promised by the world's industrial giants for democratic change in the Middle East. All are elements of what's called the Arab Spring.

But there are no signs of spring between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government, backed by a Palestinian version of al-Qaida," said Netanyahu. He stressed to Congress there can be no peace talks if the militant Hamas group is part of the Palestinian leadership.

Yet that is what is needed, said Ashrawi, a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organization. She said Palestinian unity demands that all groups be embraced in the government.

"Hamas belongs within this democratic pluralistic system, not as a substitute for it, or a replacement or an alternative," she said.

But any Hamas role is unacceptable to Israel. Jonathan Peled, spokesman for the Israeli embassy, said "Israel cannot be expected to sit down and negotiate with an organization that calls for its destruction."