NABLUS, November 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - Palestinian figures, analysts and resistance factions have criticized the “flurry of meetings and contacts” that have lately been held between Palestinian and Israeli figures and the ensuing initiatives to reach a settlement for the Palestinian cause.

They underlined that such meetings and contacts represent “a cover” for the violations committed by the Israeli occupation and the building of the separation fence. They also expressed what they termed “a state of Palestinian chaos” that would not serve the Palestinian people.

“Such contacts give the government of the Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon a pretext to continue its crimes against the Palestinian people,” Palestinian researcher and political analyst Mostafa Barghouti told IslamOnline.net, Saturday, November 29.

“While some Palestinians are preoccupied with such meetings, Israel keeps up building the racist separation fence that destroys the possibility of an independent Palestinian state, expands its settlement activity in an unprecedented manner and spreads the military barriers that currently amount to 757 in the West Bank and Gaza.” He added.

“Israel makes use of such contacts to present a false image for the struggle taking place on the Palestinian land, as it shows it as a negotiating dispute rather than one to end occupation and achieve freedom and independence,” Barghouti said.

The Palestinian researcher further warned that such contacts would “weaken the (Palestinian) national ranks”, saying that “it is imperative that the target be the national dialogue to set up a unified national leadership.”

Barghouti confirmed that national and Islamic Palestinian parties and (resistance) factions, including Fatah movement, utterly rejected such contacts that would eventually lead to limiting the ceiling of Palestinian demands in any serious future negotiations with the Israeli side.

Even some Palestinian officials have denounced such contacts between some Palestinian and Israeli figures. Such contacts do only represent their holders, according to the Palestinian Premier Ahmed Qorei.

On his part, Palestinian Minister of Communications and Technology Azzam Al-Ahmed criticized such meetings, saying: “What is happening expresses the viewpoints of those holding such contacts. Multiplicity of channels and changing the subject of communications do injustice to the Palestinian cause and people.”

Palestinian political analyst Dr. Ali Al-Garabawy, who doubles as the secretary general of the Central Palestinian Election Committee described the events on the Palestinian arena as “a state of chaos that would not lead to positive results.”

“We should adopt an official clear and timely Palestinian stance that is accompanied by Palestinian options in case of an Israeli refusal of any Palestinian initiative.

“The Palestinian side should have an alternative. If Israelis do not accept such an initiative within a certain period of time, we will resort to our option. In case the strategic situation has no options, this will lead to negative results on the part of the Palestinians,” he added.

Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has previously condemned the contacts of the Palestinian Authority with Israel.

A press statement issued by Hamas Thursday, November 27 has expressed that “while the Palestinian Authority holds public and secret contacts with several parties of the Zionist entity, Zionist occupation forces continue their incursions against the Palestinian people.”

The statement underlined the movement’s denunciation of talking about truce at a time when “the Zionist foe keeps its incursions against the Palestinian people”.

Non-official meetings have been held in London between a Palestinian delegation headed by brigadier general Jibril Rajoub, President Arafat’s advisor, and an Israeli one headed by Omri Sharon, a Knesset member and son of Sharon, on the British Labor Party initiative to implement the roadmap.

Such contacts are held prior to the official convocation of an unofficial Palestinian-Israeli peace initiative due Monday December 1 in Geneva in a celebration attended by 700 international figures.

Geneva initiative states that the Palestinians relinquish the right of the return of refugees and that sovereignty is to be shared over the eastern occupied part of Jerusalem.