Russia has maintained contact with both Israel and Palestine since the onset of the escalation, as tensions continue to run high on both sides. Russian Ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov made this statement during an interview to Russia-24.
"Since the onset of the escalation, we have been in contact with all parties involved, including the Palestinians, Israelis, and our regional neighbors," - Viktorov stated. - "Today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold discussions with Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit. Naturally, the current situation will be a central focus of these discussions."
"Emotions are running high on both sides, and the international community is closely monitoring the situation," the Russian ambassador remarked.
The international community is perplexed by the Palestinian-Israeli escalation, and its underlying causes can be attributed to the obstruction of the political process by the United States and the European Union, the ambassador explained.
"All concerned states, including Israel, its neighboring countries, and the international community, are somewhat bewildered by the sudden eruption of violence. It appears that there is no immediately apparent trigger for such a sharp escalation. However, the root causes lie in the prolonged blockage of the political process. This blockage can be attributed to the efforts of both the United States and the European Union, with the latter actively aligning its policy with the interests of the United States," he explained.
He emphasized that Russia urges both Israel and Palestine to cease hostilities and resume negotiations.
"It is crucial to implement a ceasefire, exercise restraint, halt acts of violence, especially those affecting civilians, and resume diplomatic negotiations. There is no military solution to this conflict," he emphasized.
He also mentioned, "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, during which both ministers stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and a diplomatic and political resolution."
Options for Russians to depart from Israel
Russia is open to the possibility of evacuating Russian citizens from Israel if the situation warrants, the diplomat confirmed.
"If the situation escalates further, we will consider more substantial measures to evacuate our citizens if it becomes necessary," he stated.
There are currently operational restrictions at Ben-Gurion airport, but it is technically feasible to arrange departures, clarified the Russian ambassador to Israel.
"Ben-Gurion airport is facing operational restrictions, although it's operating in a somewhat reduced capacity. There haven't been complete flight cancellations. So, from a technical perspective, Russian citizens can still leave Israel, but it's important to acknowledge that there are some challenges involved," he stated.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
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Based on materials from TASS