Foreign Ministry statement on the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2334 regarding Palestinian-Israeli settlement

On December 23, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2334 (2016) on the Situation in the Middle East, which highlights the problem of Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territory. The resolution was adopted by a vote of 14-0, with the United States abstaining.

This is the first time in the past eight years that the UN Security Council adopted a resolution on this issue. The Russian Federation voted for it because the resolution is based on tested formulas reflecting the general view of the international community, which have been reaffirmed many times, on the illegality of Israeli settlement plans in the Palestinian territory.

Russia’s position in this respect has been consistent. At the same time, its actions during UN Security Council consultations were based on the belief that the positive effect of a resolution on this key issue on the international agenda would have been stronger had the resolution received consensus support. Consensus could have been achieved through more rigorous work, which would have taken longer and precluded any rash decisions that may damage the cause. We acted from this position during our contacts with our UN Security Council partners.

Our experience shows convincingly that a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is only possible through direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis without any preconditions. It is with this aim in view that Russia has been working and will continue working as a member of the Middle East Quartet of international intermediaries to facilitate such negotiations. We would also like to reaffirm our readiness to host a meeting of the leaders of Israel and Palestine in Moscow.

We hope that the parties will opt for the policy of constructive cooperation aimed at settling the Middle Eastern problem very soon.