Meeting of Palestinian groups in Moscow/ Lavrov: Israel’s violence in the West Bank will not be less than in Gaza

According to Russian media reports, Sergei Lavrov called the Corona pandemic the reason for the interruption in the Moscow meetings on the issue of Palestine, and he further described the current situation of the West Asia conflict and said: the situation in Gaza is affected It is one of America’s efforts to monopolize efforts to mediate between the parties of this conflict.

He said: The Gaza Strip has been affected by a wave of unprecedented violence, this issue is the result of a long stagnation in the process of resolving West Asia issues, which is the cause and founder of America.

The Russian Foreign Minister said: By adopting an exclusive policy for efforts to resolve West Asia issues, the United States has denied the possibility of playing the role of other international mediators, including Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations.

He continued: America does not pay attention to the interests of the countries in the region, which have been distorted and not provided for years.

The dimensions of the humanitarian disaster are expanding

Lavrov went on to say that the tragic events of recent months in Palestine have claimed the lives of 30,000 people, and said that the vast majority of the dead are civilians, many of whom are women and children. The number of injured has exceeded 70,000 people, most of whom were women and children. The dimensions of the human disaster are expanding.

700,000 residents of Gaza are on the brink of famine

Referring to the report of the UN chief coordinator for humanitarian affairs in Gaza, the Russian foreign minister said to the UN Security Council: “The numbers are disappointing, about 700,000 of Gaza’s population of 2.4 million people are in Astana.” There are famines.

The main priority is to stop the bleeding

Stating that Russia’s main priority in the West Asia conflict is to stop the bloodshed, Lavrov said: “From the first days after the October 7 attack, we emphasized on stopping the bloodshed, although this caused us to be condemned by some countries, but We believe that it cannot be answered with methods of collective punishment of Palestinians.

He reminded: On October 15, 2023, Russia submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council that called for a ceasefire. This plan, as well as subsequent efforts in this direction, was continuously blocked by the United States, and the United States repeatedly used its veto.

The Russian Foreign Minister stated: Any attempt to pass a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire has failed so far. On February 20, 2024, another plan initiated by our friends from Algeria for a ceasefire had a similar fate.

The formation of the Palestinian state, the solution to end the conflict

Lavrov further said: Widespread conflicts and outbreaks of violence in the region will be repeated until we can eliminate the cause of this long-term conflict with joint efforts. It means to eliminate the problem of creating a Palestinian state based on the resolutions of the Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly.

He added: Palestinians should use their right to create a state within the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. Only this fair approach based on international laws can lead to sustainable peace in the region.

The Russian Foreign Minister also said: We have repeatedly supported the start of direct dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, which was not possible due to reasons beyond the control of Russia and our Palestinian friends.

He continued: One of the reasons why these negotiations were postponed was the lack of unification of the Palestinian ranks. Opponents of the talks argued that negotiations are not possible when it is not clear who is speaking on behalf of the Palestinians.

Referring to the teachings of Jesus (pbuh), the prophet respected by Muslims and Christians, Lavrov said: there is no doubt about the need to restore the unity of Palestine, and its realization is not up to anyone but the Palestinians themselves, and no one can create obstacles on this path. It is important that the Palestinian groups understand this issue.

He called the dialogue between the Palestinian groups effective in a way that everyone can put the interests, goals and destiny of the Palestinian nation above the current differences and the differences in positions and approaches, and called for the unity of these groups centered on the Palestine Liberation Organization.

He continued: During the past years, the Russian side and some of our friends in the Arab world, such as Egypt, Algeria and other representatives of the region, have tried to provide an opportunity for all Palestinians to meet. Eliminate any misunderstandings and restore unity. We consider this task important.

Secret US contacts with countries in the region

In another part of his speech, the Russian Foreign Minister said: We are aware of numerous secret contacts between the United States and the countries of the region and that the United States of America is trying in every possible way to assume the role of chief negotiator again.

He stated: According to the available reports about the progress of these negotiations, their main issue is not related to the creation of a Palestinian state, but about the separate “normalization” of the situation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, while one should not forget that the operation Israel’s military in the West Bank will not be less serious and brutal than in Gaza.

Referring to the political developments in Palestine, Lavrov said: Mahmoud Abbas (the head of the Palestinian Authority) changed the government, dismissed the previous government and started the election of new technocrat ministers. I hope that this approach, which shows the desire for a neutral approach in the domestic political process, will lead to fruitful dialogue between the Palestinians and overcoming differences.

Some Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and university professors from the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences were also present at this meeting.

Before this, the Russian Foreign Minister announced on 24th of February 1402 that Moscow plans to hold a meeting in the future with the aim of dialogue between the Palestinian groups with their support.

Lavrov added: We suggest that this meeting be held with the aim of overcoming the internal divide between the Palestinian groups and with the participation of all the leading parties.

Referring to Russia’s diplomatic efforts in the Security Council and the United Nations, he said: “This country continues to consult with key countries in the region to coordinate their approaches to support Moscow’s long-standing initiative to support the creation of a Palestinian state.”