VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. An unresolved two-state solution is at the core of the currently escalating conflict between Israel and Palestine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

"Russia's stance is not opportunistic. This stance has always been based on earlier made decisions, which I believe should be the basis for the settlement," Putin said at a plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

"First of all, it regards the establishment of two independent states. By the way, this stance is shared by many people in the world and, as strange as it may seem, by the United States as well," he continued.

"However, this issue has not been resolved unfortunately and it is at the core of today's escalation of the situation, present-day confrontation," Putin added.

About Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Tensions flared up in the Middle East on October 7, 2023, when militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian movement Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from Gaza, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking over 240 hostages, including women, children and the elderly.

Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City.

In response, Israel launched a military operation in the Palestinian enclave to destroy Hamas military and political wings and free all hostages.

Another round of escalation in the Middle East followed the violent death of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the elimination of Hezbollah top military commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah held Israel responsible and asserted that the attacks will be met with retaliation.

About 2024 Eastern Economic Forum

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is underway on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok on September 3-6, 2024. The main theme of the EEF in 2024 is "Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential."

The EEF is one of the largest international conferences in Russia. It has been held in the Primorsky Region’s Russky Island in Vladivostok since 2015. The Forum is the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decreed that the event be held annually.

The forum's objectives and goals include promoting the accelerated growth of Russia’s Far East region; assessing its potential for exports; expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region; showcasing the investment appeal of the region, its steadily progressing territories, and the Vladivostok free port.

The Roscongress Foundation has served as the Forum’s organizer since 2016. TASS is the general information partner of the EEF.