Lavrov dismissed as unreal the idea of inviting Israel and the Palestinians to dialogue right now, as a huge number of people in both Israel and Palestine as well as foreigners have been killed.
Launching direct negotiations on a two-state solution for Palestine and Israel is hardly possible right now, Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov said.
“They will hardly engage right now. The Israelis are simply embittered,” Lavrov said in an interview with Belarus’ BELTA news agency.
Numerous hostile “statements by (Israeli) officials” show how bitter Israel is, the Russian foreign minister said, referring to the recent rhetoric by Israel’s Prime Minister, defense and economy ministers, and other cabinet members.
The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Saturday in favor of a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza. Israeli FM slams the resolution as 'despicable'.https://t.co/SQcsU8jzjG pic.twitter.com/ySo2MsJvKX
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 28, 2023
The Palestinians have been on the edge, too, “given thousands of civilians who have been killed or wounded,” Lavrov added.
He dismissed as unreal the idea of inviting Israel and the Palestinians to dialogue right now, as a huge number of people in both Israel and Palestine as well as foreigners have been killed.
Tensions in the Middle East flared up again on October 7 when the Palestinian Resistance movement Hamas launched a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip.
🔴AL-MAYADEEN: Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Ramazan Sharif told Al-Mayadeen that "If shelling on Gaza and martyrdom of civilians continues, the region could then explode uncontrollably."
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 28, 2023
The movement described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Israel declared a total siege of Gaza and started carrying out strikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.
Israel has, thus far, killed 7,703 Palestinians in Gaza, including 3,195 children, and wounded over 19,743 more.
Palestinian Ministry of Health reports and international organizations say that the majority of those killed and wounded are women and children.
🚨 #GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY: The number of Palestinians killed as a result of the Israeli aggression increased to 7,703, including 3,195 #children.
– Israel committed 53 massacres in violent bombings yesterday.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 28, 2023
On Friday night, Israel intensified airstrikes and expanded its ground operations in Gaza, while knocking out all communications for Palestinians in the besieged Strip.
Gaza has been under a tight Israeli military siege since 2007, following a democratic election in occupied Palestine, the results of which were rejected by Tel Aviv and Washington.
(TASS, PC)
While it would be difficult for in-person discussions, Biden could ask each side to put perspectives in writing on a 2-state understanding.