Efforts for a Middle East settlement

PRESS RELEASE

As a result of the unprecedented escalation of violence in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, calls for collective actions to deescalate the situation in the Middle East, including the holding of an international conference, are being heard more persistently. The Russian Federation actively supports this aspiration and has always backed the need for a multilateral approach to the Middle East settlement issue. History has proven that attempts to monopolise the mediation function only result in the escalation of conflict rather than settlement, something we are seeing today.

The priority objective today is to cease the military action in Gaza, ensure the protection of civilians, deliver humanitarian aid to all those in need and free all hostages as soon as possible. Otherwise we will face the risks of the radicalisation and growth of terrorism, and the dangers of spreading the conflict.

It is time to start creating an environment that will allow for the resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.  The parties should be kept from unilateral actions including absorption of settlements on the West Bank, trampling over the shrines in Jerusalem, and inciting violence and terrorism. Ensuring inter-Palestinian national unity based on the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which allows for the recognition of Israel and a negotiated resolution on a package of issues on a final status, is desperately needed in the current situation. The Russian proposal to hold ministerial consultations to coordinate the approaches of the region’s states concerning the Middle East settlement is particularly aimed at creating a constructive atmosphere for a peace process.

In should be noted that it was the Russian Federation who first proposed the initiative to convene an international conference for the Middle East in 2007, which was approved in unilaterally adopted UN Security Council resolution 1850 (2008). It documented support for the concept of holding a collective meeting in Moscow on an Arab-Israeli settlement. In this context we believe it is important to use the experience of cooperation gained as part of the Madrid Process, which kicked off in October 1991. A comprehensive approach to search for ways to overcome regional challenges was applied at that time, a direct dialogue between the Israelis and the Palestinians was established, and multilateral talks on fundamental security issues, refugees, the economy and water resource distribution were agreed to.  

We emphasise the central role of the Middle East states in resolving the region’s issues. Abandoning confrontational rhetoric and the desire for a political-diplomatic settlement of disagreements in the preceding period resulted in the stabilisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the resumption of Syria’s participation in the League of Arab States and a step-by-step building of a dialogue between Damascus and Ankara. Third parties must not be allowed to exploit the unraveling Palestinian-Israeli confrontation to break these positive trends and plunge the region into chaos. The involvement and unity of the states in this region along with the political will of the Palestinians and the Israelis to hold talks on a package of issues for a final status is a key condition for restarting a comprehensive peace process in the Middle East.