Moscow calls on Palestinian and Israeli sides to prevent escalation

The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to prevent escalation, return to a ceasefire, and respect the sanctity of time and place in the ongoing escalation.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “We call on the parties to the conflict to stop escalatory steps, and to return to a ceasefire. The continued escalation of violence causes deep concern to Moscow.”

The statement recalled that the latest round of escalation began with the clashes that took place on April 5 between Israeli forces and Palestinians at Al-Aqsa Mosque, which resulted in the injury of dozens of civilians, followed by indiscriminate shelling of Israeli territory, first from the Gaza Strip, then from southern Lebanon.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow stresses the importance of preserving the “status quo” in the holy places in Jerusalem, and respecting the rights of believers of all religions.

It pointed out that “a special sensitivity is required in dealing with the current situation, taking into account that the month of April of this year coincides with the blessed month of Ramadan, the Catholic and Orthodox Easter, and the Jewish Easter.”

It added, “We believe that the key to stabilizing the situation in the long term lies in launching a wide-ranging negotiation process aimed at developing consensual solutions for a Palestinian-Israeli settlement based on international law.”