MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. The Arab countries are likely to toughen their rhetoric regarding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but this will not lead to the expansion of armed confrontation in the Middle East, polled experts have told TASS experts.

Andrey Koshkin, the head of the political science department at the Plekhanov Russian Economic University, points out that the escalation of anti-Israeli rhetoric is influenced by pro-Palestinian actions afoot in the Western countries.

"They are putting pressure on their leaders. We have also seen the joint summit of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh, which took place on Saturday. These are very important measures by the world community to contain operations by the Israel Defense Forces. Washington is also very politically correct in saying that yes, we support Israel to some extent, but there is no need to strike peaceful neighborhoods," the expert said. However, he noted, "not every country has the ability to get involved in this war."

"They are trying to steer clear of this conflict. They are trying to contain it," he said.

Summit highlights rifts

According to Vladimir Fitin, an adviser to the director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, Saturday's joint summit of LAS and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation reflected the Arab countries’ different approaches to confronting Israel.

"These countries adhere to very different views and are led by too different political regimes. There are radical groups like the Yemeni Houthis, who are ready to go to war with Israel and to send their detachments, while others are in favor of putting economic cooperation on hold or severing diplomatic relations. This is precisely what was much in sight at the LAS summit over the weekend. Different opinions were expressed there, while the general support for Palestine was indisputable," he said.

Risk of negative scenario

The board chairman of the Foundation for the Development and Support of the international Valdai Discussion Club Andrey Bystritsky, in turn, believes that there are many scenarios the Palestinian-Israeli conflict may follow, including some very negative and dangerous.

"First of all, the Arab world, aware of all risks, is looking for an opportunity to somehow resolve this conflict. They see, of course, the possibility of a negative option, of an escalation. But I think the Arab elites do not want this," the expert said.

Bystritsky says that the Arab states are now trying to find common ground not only with all sides involved in the crisis, but also with the United States, which supports Israel. According to the expert, "some hopes for a settlement of this conflict remain."