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Middle Eastern region adjacent to Russia, escalation of conflict there dangerous - Kremlin

The Kremlin spokesman noted that many countries in this region have rather complex relations

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict represents a threat to Russia if it develops uncontrollably since it is underway in an adjacent region, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Monday, commenting on the remarks of Russian President Vladimir Putin that this conflict is unfolding in the immediate proximity of Russia’s borders.

"The Middle Eastern region is not on some other continent, this is the region adjacent to us, this is what was meant by the immediate proximity. And this conflict (between Palestine and Israel) indeed represents a threat in case of its uncontrolled escalation and development," he said.

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The spokesman noted that many countries in this region have rather complex relations. "On the whole, the region has a rather fragile security system, an enormous deficit of mutual trust and a long-standing potential for regional conflicts which does not facilitate stabilization. It is very important not to let the events take on a shape of a projection of power. So now very energetic efforts are being applied both along the lines of the ‘quartet’ (Russia, the US, the UN, the EU - TASS) and various countries are now in constant touch both with the Israelis and Palestinians via bilateral channels in order to stop an exchange of strikes," the Kremlin representative added.

The exchange of missile strikes between Israel and Palestinian radicals from the Gaza Strip began on May 10 following an outbreak of violence near the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City in early May. Clashes between the 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 data, at least ten Israelis were killed, hundreds were injured, the Palestinian side reports more than 200 fatalities and almost 6,000 wounded since the beginning of the current escalation with Israel.

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