Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin on Tuesday during a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to Moscow Alexander Ben Zvi expressed to him Moscow's concern over the escalation of tensions in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"During the conversation, there was a substantive discussion of the current situation unfolding in East Jerusalem, in particular in the area of the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, and around the Gaza Strip. The parties also touched upon the results of the UN Security Council's consultations on the issue," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the meeting. - "Russia voiced its deep concern over the continuing escalation of tension. The Russian side stressed the importance of an immediate cessation of violence, as well as any actions which may lead to a further deterioration of the security situation. The need to observe the status quo fixed in the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty with regard to the holy sites in Jerusalem and the well-known UN resolutions concerning this city was stressed".
Smolenskaya Square pointed out that the meeting "confirmed Russia's intention to continue its assistance in restarting Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, including by engaging the mechanism of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators". The meeting took place at the request of the Israeli diplomat.
Vershinin, at a meeting with Palestinian and Jordanian ambassadors Abdel Hafiz Nofal and Khaled Shawabke, also confirmed Moscow's readiness to step up efforts on the Middle East settlement. "The Russian side confirmed its readiness to further step up efforts in this direction, including with the involvement of the capabilities of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry noted that during the conversation, the ambassadors conveyed the agreed position of their countries on the issue of escalation of tensions in East Jerusalem and around the Gaza Strip. "They stressed the illegality of Israel's plans to evict Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, as well as the inadmissibility of forceful actions in the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex," the diplomatic office added.
"In connection with the rapid deterioration of the security situation, a common view was expressed on the need to stop violence and to resume as soon as possible a sustainable Palestinian-Israeli negotiation process in order to reach compromise solutions on all final status issues," the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. The meeting was held at the request of Palestinian and Jordanian diplomats.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Valery Sharifulin / TASS
Based on materials from TASS