Valdai Club

December 9, 2017 was the 30th year anniversary of the first Intifada. So far the Palestinian responses of yesterday took three tracks: diplomatic, non violent, and violent.

The Palestinian response to Donald Trump’s move might take one of two shapes: to give him a chance to develop the “ultimate deal” and present it to the parties in the coming months or to transform the hit into an opportunity to get their right of self-determination in their independent state, writes Walid Salem, lecturer at al-Quds University in Jerusalem.

Saudi Arabia started to understand the crucial role of Russia to solve the conflict with Iran, and accordingly in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. As well the Saudis got to know how important is the agreement with Russia to keep the stability in the oil market.

The American administration has time till the end of this year to develop a plan for a solution. This plan might not come out, or it might be less than a required two states solution, and therefore is doomed to failure.

What happened during the events of the 14-28 July, when the "Al-Aqsa Intifada" took place, was an uprising with all its meaning. All five features of the first Intifada existed. First, all generations and ages took part in the uprising, all sexes, all classes, social groups, professions and local communities, including Muslims and Christians, Palestinians of Jerusalem and Palestinians inside the Green Line, religious and secular.