UNITED NATIONS, October 26. /TASS/. Russia is not calling on Israel to stop fighting against terrorists, but is asking it not to fight against civilians, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said on Wednesday.

"We are calling on you not to abandon the fight on terrorism but to fight against terrorists rather than against civilians," he said at a UN Security Council meeting.

Gilad Erdan, the Israeli envoy to the UN, said earlier he was shocked at votes against the US-initiated draft resolution on the Middle East. He addressed a rhetoric question to Russia and Israel about what would they do if attacked by terrorist groups.

Commenting on his remarks, Nebenzya noted that Russia had seen acts of terrorism against its citizens more than once. He recalled the seizure of a school in Beslan and a hospital in Budenovsk, as well as terror attacks in Moscow. "We confront acts of terrorism today too and don’t negotiate with terrorists either," he stressed.

Earlier, Russia and China vetoed the US-drafted UN Security Council resolution on the Middle East. The document was supported by ten nations. Along with Russia and China, the United Arab Emirates voted against, while two members abstained. The Russia-drafted resolution was not adopted either, with the United States and the United Kingdom voting having vetoed it.