Russia could play a significant role in advancing international recognition of the State of Palestine, according to Ambassador Abdel Hafeez Nofal in remarks to TASS.
When asked whether he believes the establishment of a Palestinian state is imminent, the diplomat responded: “Yes, we hope so. As you know, the international community is recognizing Palestine day by day. We believe a major international conference is needed to end this conflict, and Russia has an important role to play in this process.”
The ambassador noted that initial steps toward conflict resolution have already been taken, stating that “the ceasefire, opening borders for humanitarian aid, and hostage releases are very positive developments.” However, he cautioned that “the main challenge will come during the second phase, as Israelis insist that Hamas must disarm and a new government must be established to administer Gaza. This process will be very, very complex and time-consuming.”
Nofal expressed the view that the Palestinian Authority should assume control of Gaza, while noting that “Israel insists an international coalition is necessary for this purpose. We're in the middle of this process, but it's moving forward and we hope everything is heading in the right direction.”
The diplomat acknowledged that Russian leadership, including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, have responded positively to US President Donald Trump's ceasefire initiative.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS