The monopolization of the mediator’s role by Washington has only led to a violent outbreak, the Russian president has said
The escalation between Israel and Hamas that has already led to the “deaths of thousands of people” has come as a result of America’s desire to single-handedly decide the fate of the standoff between Israel and Palestine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an emergency BRICS video conference on Tuesday.
The US had sidelined other members of the Middle East Quartet – a group seeking to navigate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process that also includes Russia, the UN, and EU – the Russian leader said. Instead, Washington has sought to “monopolize the role of the mediator” while blocking the efforts of other international actors, he added.
“The history has vividly demonstrated that attempts to single-handedly cut the Palestinian knot are not viable and counterproductive,” Putin said.
UN decisions envisaging the establishment of “two independent sovereign states – Israel and Palestine,” ended up being sabotaged, the Russian president told the conference. This has led to a situation in which “generations of Palestinians were raised in an atmosphere … of injustice,” while the Israelis could not fully guarantee the security of their state, he added.
The current conflict in Gaza has already led to the deaths of thousands, a massive exodus of civilians from the enclave, and a humanitarian catastrophe, Putin said, calling these developments a cause for the “deepest concern.”
Russia urges the international community to unite in an effort to achieve a speedy de-escalation and a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as a political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the president said, adding that the BRICS nations and regional actors could play a leading role in this process.
