Russia reaffirms 'longstanding, deep' support for Palestine
Moscow supports the peaceful settlement of all conflicts, including those in the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on August 13 during a meeting with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is on a three-day visit to Russia.
President Putin praised Russia's "long-standing, deep ties" with the Arab world, and especially with Palestine, stressing that this causes "great concern that a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Palestine right now." According to the Russian leader, the root of the conflict in Gaza is the result of international resolutions regarding the establishment of an independent Palestinian state being ignored.
.jpg)
"To establish a lasting and reliable peace in the region, it is necessary to implement all UN resolutions, first of all, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state," Putin stressed. "We have adhered to this position for a long time and it has not changed with changes in the political environment." The Russian president said the situation in Gaza was "of great concern" due to the large number of civilian casualties, mainly women and children. According to the United Nations, the death toll has reached 40,000 people, he noted.
"We are doing everything possible to support the Palestinian people. As you know, we have sent about 700 tons of humanitarian aid," President Putin concluded.
For his part, President Abbas thanked the Russian government and people, saying: "We feel that Russia is one of the closest friends of the Palestinian people." He pointed out that since 1947, the UN General Assembly and the Security Council have adopted more than 1,000 resolutions. "There is only one resolution that, if implemented, could help the Palestinian people secure their rights," Abbas said, adding that "due to pressure from the United States, this mission has failed."
Western countries, which support a Palestinian state, have backed the Palestinian Authority, which is internationally seen as representing the Palestinian people, but is a rival to Hamas and controls only parts of the West Bank. The State of Palestine is currently recognized by 146 members of the United Nations and half of the G20, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and Türkiye.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not allow the establishment of a fully functioning Palestinian state. However, the Israeli government has seen a steady decline in Western support as the death toll from the latest Gaza offensive mounts./.
