Putin: Russia Ready to Mediate Palestinian-Israeli Settlement
11:53 13.10.2023 (Updated: 11:56 13.10.2023)
© AP Photo / Hatem Ali
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BISHKEK (Sputnik) - The aggravation of the situation in the Middle East is the result of the failed policy of the United States, which was not concerned with finding a compromise in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
Russia is ready to mediate the Palestinian-Israeli settlement, announced Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Council of Heads of State.
"Collective efforts are more than needed in the interests of an early ceasefire and stabilization of the situation on the ground. I would like to emphasize that Russia is ready to coordinate with all constructively minded partners. We proceed from the belief that there is no alternative to resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through negotiations," Putin said.
The Russian president has also noted that the aggravation of the situation in the Middle East is the result of the failed policy of the United States, which was not concerned with finding a compromise in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Putin noted that the United States attempted to solve the political Palestinian-Israeli problem with the help of certain economic incentive measures.
"The Middle East Quartet of international mediators was not used. Under far-fetched pretexts, the United States actually blocked this format, which was unique and, by the way, had a mandate approved by the relevant UN resolution. An attempt was made, with the help of certain economic incentive measures, to solve a political problem, an underlying problem, and namely the creation of an independent Palestinian state," Putin said at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in a narrow format.
Commenting on the current situation in the region, the president said that civilian casualties in the conflict will be completely unacceptable.
Ground op
The use of heavy equipment by Israel as part of a ground operation in the Gaza Strip's residential areas is a complex matter, fraught with serious consequences, and without equipment, it is even more difficult to carry out such an operation, Putin warned.
"We are hearing about plans to prepare for a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. But you and I understand, to put it quite semi-professionally, that the use of heavy equipment in residential areas is a complex matter, fraught with serious consequences for all parties. And without equipment, it is even more difficult to carry out the same operations in the same residential buildings," Putin said at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of State in a narrow format.
On October 7, Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, prompting Israel to declare a state of war the following day and launch strikes against the Gaza Strip.
Tel-Aviv has ordered a complete blockade of the Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food and fuel. Both Israel and Palestine have reported over 1,000 deaths and thousands of injuries as a result of the escalation.
