Russia warns of wider conflict as Israel battles Hamas
Sergei Lavrov criticises the US after meeting Arab League chief in Moscow
09 October 2023 - 21:53
byGuy Faulconbridge
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Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit in Moscow, Russia, October 9 2023. Picture: SERGEI IINITSKY/REUTERS
Moscow — Russia condemned violence against both Jews and Palestinians in Israel and the Palestinian Territories on Monday, but criticised the US for what it said was its destructive approach that had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state.
Israeli troops were battling Hamas gunmen on Monday, more than two days after the militants burst across the fence from Gaza on a deadly rampage. The army said it would soon go on the offensive after the biggest mobilisation in Israeli history.
The Kremlin called for a return to peace and said it was “extremely concerned” that the violence could escalate into a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Russia, which has relationships with Arab countries, Iran and Hamas as well as with Israel, said the West had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders.
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the violence but said the West was shortsighted if it believed it could simply condemn attacks against Israel and then hope for an Israeli victory without solving the cause of instability — the Palestinian problem itself.
“I cannot but fail to mention the destructive policy of the US which thwarts collective efforts within the framework of the Quartet of international mediators,” Lavrov told reporters after talks in Moscow with Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
The US, Lavrov said, had sought to “monopolise” dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis and move away from the creation of a Palestinian state in favour to talks about easing the social-economic problems of Palestinians.
The Palestinians want a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital — all territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war.
The Quartet, set up in 2002, consists of the UNs, the EU, the US and Russia. Its mandate was to help mediate peace and support Palestinians in preparation for eventual statehood.
Israel said on Monday it had called up 300,000 reservists and warned residents of parts of Gaza to leave, signs it could be planning a ground assault to defeat Hamas.
“This situation is potentially fraught with the danger of spillover, and therefore, of course, it is a subject of our special concern these days,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
At talks in Moscow, Aboul Gheit told Lavrov that he agreed about the need for the violence to stop but said such events would continue as long as the Palestinian problem remained unresolved.
“We completely reject violence, but on both sides,” said Aboul Gheit, who served as Egypt’s foreign minister during the final seven years of Hosni Mubarak’s rule. “The Palestinian problem cannot be postponed any longer, and the UN decisions must be implemented.”
The Kremlin said Russia's embassy had no information yet on how many Russian citizens in Israel might have been hurt or killed there. He said Russia was in contact with the Palestinians to find out if any Russians had been injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Russia warns of wider conflict as Israel battles Hamas
Sergei Lavrov criticises the US after meeting Arab League chief in Moscow
Moscow — Russia condemned violence against both Jews and Palestinians in Israel and the Palestinian Territories on Monday, but criticised the US for what it said was its destructive approach that had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state.
Israeli troops were battling Hamas gunmen on Monday, more than two days after the militants burst across the fence from Gaza on a deadly rampage. The army said it would soon go on the offensive after the biggest mobilisation in Israeli history.
The Kremlin called for a return to peace and said it was “extremely concerned” that the violence could escalate into a broader conflict in the Middle East.
Russia, which has relationships with Arab countries, Iran and Hamas as well as with Israel, said the West had ignored the need for an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders.
Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the violence but said the West was shortsighted if it believed it could simply condemn attacks against Israel and then hope for an Israeli victory without solving the cause of instability — the Palestinian problem itself.
“I cannot but fail to mention the destructive policy of the US which thwarts collective efforts within the framework of the Quartet of international mediators,” Lavrov told reporters after talks in Moscow with Arab League secretary-general Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
The US, Lavrov said, had sought to “monopolise” dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis and move away from the creation of a Palestinian state in favour to talks about easing the social-economic problems of Palestinians.
The Palestinians want a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital — all territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war.
The Quartet, set up in 2002, consists of the UNs, the EU, the US and Russia. Its mandate was to help mediate peace and support Palestinians in preparation for eventual statehood.
Israel said on Monday it had called up 300,000 reservists and warned residents of parts of Gaza to leave, signs it could be planning a ground assault to defeat Hamas.
“This situation is potentially fraught with the danger of spillover, and therefore, of course, it is a subject of our special concern these days,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
At talks in Moscow, Aboul Gheit told Lavrov that he agreed about the need for the violence to stop but said such events would continue as long as the Palestinian problem remained unresolved.
“We completely reject violence, but on both sides,” said Aboul Gheit, who served as Egypt’s foreign minister during the final seven years of Hosni Mubarak’s rule. “The Palestinian problem cannot be postponed any longer, and the UN decisions must be implemented.”
The Kremlin said Russia's embassy had no information yet on how many Russian citizens in Israel might have been hurt or killed there. He said Russia was in contact with the Palestinians to find out if any Russians had been injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Reuters
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