Lavrov Addresses Key to Middle East Stability
(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has identified the unresolved issue of Palestinian statehood as the “main factor fueling extremism” in the Middle East.
In an interview with a media outlet on Thursday, Lavrov expressed support for US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative designed to bring an end to the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Earlier that same day, Israel and the militant organization Hamas agreed to begin implementing the initial measures of the plan, moving toward a potential ceasefire.
Lavrov emphasized that Russia has “repeatedly made it clear to Israel” that the longstanding Palestinian question, persisting for almost eight decades, continues to be the principal source of radicalism in the region.
He pointed out that generations of Palestinian youth grow up with the conviction that they are entitled to their own sovereign state—a right endorsed by a United Nations resolution. He remarked, however, that “Israel was created, whereas Palestine was not.”
Further, Lavrov condemned the terrorist attack by the militant faction on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 Israelis lost their lives and over 250 were taken captive, describing Russia’s stance as “strongly condemned.”
At the same time, he criticized Israel’s retaliatory measures, referring to them as “collective punishment of the Palestinian people,” which he deemed “a gross violation of international humanitarian law.”
According to local health authorities, the Israeli blockade and ongoing military operations in Gaza have so far resulted in the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians.
Despite acknowledging that Trump’s peace plan contains “rather vague” language regarding Palestinian sovereignty, Lavrov stated that it remains “the best solution currently on the table” to address the complex and long-standing conflict.
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