I have “very good relations” with Israel and the Palestinians: Putin suggests Russia as a peace mediator in the Middle East

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During a visit to Kyrgyzstan, Russian President Vladimir Putin (71) offered Russian mediation services in the Middle East. During Putin’s first foreign trip this year, the Kremlin leader did not support Israel and Palestine. Putin is quoted by Russian media as saying that Israel is facing an unprecedented attack. But Israel’s response was also “quite brutal.”

Putin offered Russian mediation to resolve the conflict. Moscow has “very good relations” with Israel, as well as traditional relations with the Palestinians. “No one can imagine that we want to play a game,” Putin said.

Want a two-state solution

Russia has long seen itself as an advocate for the Arab world. According to reports, Moscow may also imagine a revival of the Middle East Quartet, which also includes Russia, the US, the EU and the United Nations.

Putin himself emphasizes in public appearances and telephone conversations with foreign colleagues that a two-state solution must be implemented in the Middle East – to protect the rights of Palestinians.

Russia submits draft resolution on the Middle East to the UN Security Council

Also on Friday, Russia presented a draft resolution on the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East at a meeting of the UN Security Council. It calls, among other things, for a “humanitarian ceasefire” and the release of the hostages kidnapped by the Islamic organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as the German Press Agency has learned from diplomatic circles. However, Hamas is not directly mentioned in the paper presented behind closed doors on Friday.

It was initially unclear whether and when Russia wanted to put the resolution to a vote in the most powerful body of the United Nations. A passage is considered extremely unlikely. A resolution in the Security Council requires at least nine yes votes and cannot be vetoed by Russia’s four other permanent members: France, Britain, China and the US, who reportedly were not consulted on the resolution in advance . Last weekend, an emergency Council meeting ended without a unanimous condemnation of Hamas. (kes/SDA)

Source: Blick