Moscow has strongly condemned Israel's airstrikes on the Syrian city of Palmyra, calling on all parties to act with restraint and adhere to the principles of civilized behavior, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, said.
“We firmly condemn this attack, which, according to Syrian authorities, has killed 36, injured over 50 people, and caused significant damage to residential areas. These actions by Israel on Syrian territory, like those before them, represent a serious violation of Syria's sovereignty and fundamental international law,” Zakharova said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry urged all parties involved in the current regional escalation to “heed the voice of reason and refrain from actions that go beyond the bounds of civilized behavior, which should be guided by the humanistic values developed in the 21st century.”
Zakharova cautioned that the loss of mutual respect among regional neighbors and the growing intensity of hostilities could make achieving lasting peace in the Middle East a distant prospect.
She expressed regret over the toll that the ongoing conflict has taken, not just in terms of human lives but also in the erosion of cultural and historical preservation. “Recently, Israeli airstrikes targeted Baalbek in Lebanon, home to a unique temple complex. Now, an airstrike has struck near Palmyra, an ancient city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which, like Baalbek, previously endured devastating damage from ISIS militants (banned in Russia),” Zakharova added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Akishin Vyacheslav/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS