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Middle East conflict

UNSC fails to agree statement on Palestine and Israel because of US position — source

According to TASS data, Washington insists the document condemn Hamas actions

UNITED NATIONS, May 17. /TASS/. The United Nations Security Council has failed to agree a joint statement calling for cessation of hostilities in Israel and in the Gaza Strip for the third time because of the United States’ position, a source in the organization told TASS on Monday.

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Israel hits five Hamas commanders’ houses across Gaza Strip

"The United States was against the draft statement on the results of Sunday’s open meeting," the source said.

The United Nations Security Council held two closed-door meetings during the past week. Neither of them yielded a joint statement. According to TASS data, Washington insists the document condemn Hamas actions.

During a briefing, United Nations Secretary General’s Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stressed the importance of a consolidated Security Council call that would be able to influence the situation.

Israel and Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip have been exchanging missile strikes since May 10, following an outburst of unrest near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City in early May. Clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli police were triggered by an Israeli court ruling to seize dwelling houses in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood from Arab families who have been living there for more than 50 years in favor of Jewish resettlers who had reportedly owned these buildings before 1948.

According to the latest reports, at least ten Israelis have been killed and hundreds have been injured. The Palestinian side reports more than 200 deaths and nearly 6,000 wounded.

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The head of state noted that new mechanisms should be introduced to support citizens abroad

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Russian troops to move westward after liberating Kupyansk-Uzlovoi — Putin

As the president stressed, the Russian troops have been assigned a very important task to eliminate the enemy group on the left bank of the Oskol River

Russia grateful to Egypt for its objective position on Ukraine — Lavrov

According to the foreign minister, Cairo "understands perfectly well that a political-diplomatic settlement is only possible with the elimination of the root causes of the conflict"

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EU summit undertook to finance military action against Russia — diplomats

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Russian forces acting in response to Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure — Putin

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on December 19 that Russian troops had delivered one massive and six combined strikes by precision weapons on Ukrainian military targets over the week of December 13-19

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 19th

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PMs of Belgium, Italy emerge victorious at EU summit on Russian assets — media

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The system is being developed with the capability to be operational for the next 25 years

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Economy, special op, taxes most popular topics on social media following Putin’s Q&A

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Russia needs such aircraft as An-124, upgraded Il-76 — Putin

According to the Russian president, high-technology production requires very large-scale cooperation of such technological level

Putin envisions what Russia might look like in 200 years

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According to Elvira Nabiullina, the investing activity declined in construction, transport and certain mining industries over the last year

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According to the newspaper, Project Sunrise was designed "to turn Gaza’s rubble into a futuristic coastal destination"

Ukrainian forces fail to retake parts of Krasnoarmeysk, suffer losses — Putin

According to the Russian president, the enemy is achieving no success

Ukrainian forces execute civilians in Seversk — Hero of Russia

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Russian asset seizure to undermine trust in Euro zone, Putin warns

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US starts striking Islamic State sites in Syria — NYT

The operation involves US fighter jets and attack helicopters

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Lavrov gives war-minded European hawks a piece of his mind

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Russia ready to consider halting strikes deep inside Ukraine on election day — Putin

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Ukraine conflict to be resolved on Russia-US track, Europe ancillary player — analyst

Today’s European politicians don’t hold a candle to their predecessors, Deputy rector of the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleg Karpovich noted

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Russia to eliminate threats to Kaliningrad Region should they emerge, says Putin

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Kiev troops shell DPR four times in past day

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